Evening star., 1939-06-16
The Sabotage Cases

The decision of the Mixed Claims
Commission that Germany, through
its imperial government of World
War days. was to blame for the dis
astrous Black Tom and KingSland
munitions explosions in New jersey.
climaxeS, but does not end,
true story of international intrigue
as weird as any tale ever conceived
by writer's of popular fiction. On
July 20, 1915, the Black Tom terminal
of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Com
pany was blown up. On January II,
1917, the Kingsland plant of the
Canadian Car & Foundry Company
was wrecked by a mysterious ex-
plosion. In the two explosions four
persons were killed, many persons
were injured and more than three
hundred carloads of ammunition
destined for England and France
were destroyed. After intensive in
vestigation, the American Govern
ment, on behalf of more than hun
dred claimants, charged before the
Mixed Claims Commission that the
two explosions were set off by Ger
man agents and demanded payment
by Germany of $4,000, 900 in dam
ages.
Literally bales and trunkloads of
evidence were presented in support
OF the charges-and almost as many
documents were offered by Germany
in refutation. These papers contain
many references to spies and codes,
to a germ laboratory" near Wash
ington, to poisoned livestock, to per-
fume bottles filled with combustible
liquids, to messages in invisible ink.
The commission at first dismissed the
American claims, but the United
States continued its search for new
evidence and several rehearings were
held. AS the proceedings dragged
along, testimony alleging fraud, per-
jury and suppression of evidence" on
the part Of Germany was presented
to the commission, and recently the
German member of the commission
withdrew in huff, charging the
umpire, Associate Justice Owen J.
Roberts, with bias"
That Germany saw the hand
writing on the wall and ordered its
representative on the commission to
withdraw before the fireworks began
is obvious. While things were going
Germany's way-and they were 60
Ing her way until recently, when a
gradual accumulation of evidence
started the pendulum of justice
swinging against her-she had no
complaint to make about the fairness
OF the tribunal weighing her inno-
cence or guilt. 1t has been indi-.
Gated she will protest the decision on
the ground that the umpire was not
qualified to act in the absence Of the
German commissioner. Whatever the
outcome Of this amazing case, any
thing like an equitable adjustment
OF the claims seems to be out of the
question. There are in the Treasury
old German bonds with face value
OF $4,000 900, but actually they are
worth little or nothing on the mar
ket. The $22,000,O0O reparations fund
is the only hope of the American
claimants. And the German govern
ment would be getting off easily by
this small payment, for the money
long ago was earmarked for settle
ment of American damage claims.
The whole sordid Black Tom
Kingsland episode has served one
good purpose, however. It has shown
the need in this country of an ef-
ficient counter-espionage system in
time of peace as we'll as of war.
America had no such protection in
1915 and the early part Of 1917. It is
reassuring to know that now America
is on guard, as evidenced by recent
spy roundups and by plans for ex-
pansion of the drive to rid the coun-
try of alien undercover agents.