The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-04-09

or a Russian secret agent in
Germany today.
"One false step, one I'M
guarded word and it is death or
worse for him. In a state of
war, it is drumhead court
martial and the firing squad,
the rope or the axe. If he is
a real master, he is never heard
of. Generals, admiralS and
statesmen reap the benefits
and the hOnOrS made possible
by his daring and mental
agility. Only when he is
caught does he become hero
to his own people. After he
has paid the penalty, a statue
is put up. or perhaps a battle
ship is named after him, as
Germany has done for Hans
LOdy, its wartime ace in Eng
land. To the enemy he is a
villain or, at best, only fellow
who got what he was bargain
ing for"
The subject of our talk came
up through reference to the
conviction of FarnSWorth, the
dismissed naval officer, who sold
secrets to the japanese.
SECOND IN YEAR
His was the second such case
within a year, the other being
the conviction of Harry Thomp-
son, q former petty officer. Like
FarnSworth, Thompson sold con-
fidential information to a jap
anese officer.
"YOu will notice." said the
one time spy hunter, shat the
American people didn't get
hySterical in these instances.
The press reported the cases
fully but without any scare
emphasis. 1t seems that we
can take our treason calmly in
peace times. The English are
pretty much the same way. al
though they are a bit tense
nowadays, and they have
reason for it.
when there is great danger
of war and greater preparations
for it, spies increase hundred
fold. The intelligence service is
equally more active. The period
Immediately preceding hOStilitieS
is that in which it gets the best
ticks. There is little tangible
evidence of its work, because
arrests are few and far between.
ct is much better to spot a
spy than to capture him. To
throw him into Jail means only
that another will take his place
and will have to be discovered.
"a 7arked spy is little good
to his employer. He is invaIu-
able to IT, counter espionage.
False information is fed to him,
and unwittingly he reveals his
accOmplices and the avenues
through which they work.
49," this officer continued,
"why catch him? If war was to
break out in Europe tomorrow, I'd
wager that 500 enemy agents, to
the utter surprise of each of
them, would find themselves in
Jail within "a hours. That's the
right procedure; have your spies
spotted but don't strike until
the last minute"
The talk got around to women
as spies, and Sir George Aston,
formerly of the British Naval In
telligence, was quoted as the au-
thority that they make good
ones. In his book, Secret Serv-
ice," he says:
81 agree with those who
maintain that women keep
secrets of national importance
better than men do"
The English do not go in for
the employment of women spies,
and I do not believe that the
United States does, either. 1t is
against the grain of the Anglo
SaxonS to subject women to the
death penalties which are their
lot if discovered. A dreadful case
comes to mind, the execution of
Senita Won Falkengayn and Rem
ate Won Natzmer.
WHEN CAUGHT
Beautiful women, they were
and members of the Berlin social
set. But, in the dead of the night
Of February 10. 1935-two short
years ago-they were led into the
yard of the prison at Ploetzenses.
There stood a man in evening
clothes. In turn. each woman
placed her head on the block.
and this man
struck it off with an axe.
They died as traitors, for be-
traying military secrets to Poland.
Just as eight Germans and Poles
had been executed in Poland two
years previously for selling secrets
to Germany.
In Continental Europe, spying
Is a terrible game. Consider Capt.
George Sosnowski, once of the
Polish intelligence. His life is a
nightmare in which two faces
haunt him without Surcease. They
are the faces of the two German
women who died at PlcCtZepSes-
the two women who were in his
employ. Night and day he spends
bis hours in prayer for them.
Copyright, 1887, by King Features