Evening star., 1939-12-31
Spies Become Active
When Wars Beqin
By Frederic J. Haskin.


Governments at all times are on the
alert against spies OF other countries,
whether potential enemies or not. In
wartime not the officials Of government
alone but entire populations take up the
watch and ward, and the lot Of the spy,
in the period when he is most needed, Is
the hardest. Although spies have been
honored and rewarded by governments,
the public mind recoils from this neces-
sary calling and the spy caught by the
populace may we'll be lynched on the
spot. AS in the case Of many lynchings,
the wrong individual often becomes the
victim.
In this war, as in others, the utmost
ingenuity has been practiced by spies in
transmitting their messages. Methods
do not change greatly and, indeed, 1t
sometimes happens that the simplest
means prove the safest. The only spy
who Is at all safe is the one who IS
unknown to any but very small circle
of his employers. Once a spy has be-
come known, his every action is watched
by all governments and his personal ef-
fects are subject at all times to examina-
ton. All governments are included in
this statement because it is notorious
that professional spies often are devoid
of patriotism and willing to work for
any employer, and sometimes for two
opposing camps at the same time.
Some of the ingenious systems which
are being used show the tedious care
with which spies attempt to make their
communications. A favorite device is to
use an unSuspicious container for q
message. Spies adopt all manner Of dis
guises from that Of the bum and the beg.
gar to that of the dandy and man about
town. Methods employed are suggested
by the current personal character of the
spy. For example, the dandy would be
expected to have in its baggage elaborate
toilet articles. Thus messages have been
found hidden in bottles of hair lotion
and in containers of face powder. The
spy travels with such articles in his bag.
gage and. when opportunity arrives.
hands them over to his accomplice. It
is, for instance, simple matter to hol-
low out cake of soap and hide a mes.
sage within. the soap being used mean
time-but not too much.
An ingenious communication system
have been exchanged between the Ger
man command and spies abroad through
the medium of a tradesmans catalogue.
The one discovered is the catalogue Of
Dutch cigar manufacturer. The fact Of
Hollands neutrality is an added cover.
In advance a code has been agreed upon
with names of cigar brands. prices and
the like standing for certain words.
Marks with invisible ink are placed
against these names and prices and when
they are arranged they constitute the
secret message. When the catalogue
moves through the mails it is wholly
innocent-seeming tradesman's bid for
business.
Invisible ink long has been the spys
chief ally. The ink can be carried in a
tiny phial or, if even that risk is feared.
it can be made on the spot with few
simple ingredients obtainable at any
drug store without suspicion. What IS
not used can be thrown away.
An elaborate conveyance Of messages
is the ordinary coin. A coin is cut In two
and the inside followed. A message on
thin paper may be'inserted and the coin
screwed together again. The coin then
may be spent at shop, kept by for
warder of messages, and change may be
received. coin in this change contain
ing another message. OF course, the coin
also is weighted so that no one is likely
to notice any difference in weight should
1t fall into alien hands. 1t may be re-
membered that Jean Vatican carried
such coin, in which was secreted tiny
saw and which served him in one of his
escapes from Javert
Spies have crossed borders carrying
messages without number, although they
have been thoroughly searched. Now it
has been found that the soft collar is an
excellent medium for transmitting mes
sages written in invisible ink. The coll
lar looks innocent enough, but, when it
is subjected to heat or other proper treat
ment, the message appears. One remem-
bers in Poe's "Gold Bug" how LIE Grand
heated the parchment and discovered the
secret of the buried treasure. In hun
dred years some methods have not
changed. Today, soft collars are looked
at narrowly at the border. guilty col
lar will mean that the wearer will be
given one of another sort with hang
man at the other end.
One Of the most fascinating secret
transmissions ever discovered was that
of the botany enthusiast in the last
Great War. The German spy in this
case posed as naturalist. He had cor
respondent in neutral Holland. The let
tiers exchanged were apparently wholly
innocent, filled with gossip about the
botanical hobby which captivated both
writer's. The man in England would in
close in letters leaves of trees, and, more
often, sketches of leaves, for the instruc-
ton of his Dutch friend. Meantime, the
British were greatly perplexed by the
steady leakage of important military in
formation, particularly concerning naval
bases. Purely by chance, guided by some
sort of hunch, leaf inclosed in one
of these letters and a sketch Of another
were subjected to especially close scru-
tiny. The sketch purported to show how
insect pests preyed on the leaf. It was
revealed that the shape of the leaf was