Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-08-29
BY J. A. Fox.

BY ]. A. Fox.
September, 1899, and powerful Ger
man Army once more was on the march,
- the fires Of war spread in Europe.
In Richmond, Calf, workers in a
chemical plant were talking over the
turn of events during the lunch hour,
and blaming Hitler. There was but one
dissident in the little group. Associates
knew him as Julius-or Julian-Rozinek,
q middle-aged Hungarian, who had been
but short time at the plant, but long
enough to stir curiosity about his back
ground. Clearly, he was man of edu-
cation, of thorough technical training,
but he held only minor position as
craftsman, and seemingly was well salts
ned with his lot. Others in the plant
eften wondered why, but he sought no
condolences and gave none. The criti-
eism of Hitler irked Rozinek. Suddenly,
he backed off and faced his companions.
Hitler is not only my Fuehrer, but
my God" he shouted angrily, then
turned away.
This chance remark was brought to
the attention of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, started an inquiry that
snowballed as it progressed-led across
the Atlantic, and was climaXed this past
week by arrests in Detroit and New York
that cracked Nazi spy ring, equipped
with blueprint for the destruction OF
American war plants and shipping. Four
women, one a descendant of the old
French nobility, and two men are held.
They are the first persons accused under
the wartime espionage act, and convic-
ton can bring death. Suspected accom-
plices walk uneasily.
Intricate Plotting.
A bizarre pattern of plot and counter
plot was woven as FBI agents pierced
their way through fantastic maze, in
the four years elapsing between Rozlnek's
passionate outburst and the arrest of
the six accused espionage agents Their
accomplishments are not entirely clear
yet, and will not be until the prosecution
progresses and some gaps can be filled
in. But one thing is certain: Before
there was a suggestion that this Nation
conflict, the German war lords were an
ticipating such contingency, and pre-
pairing accordingly. Fortunately, it might
be added, Director j. Edgar Hoover and
the FBI were doing likewise. In this
instance, the planning of the Nazis went
awry because a woman turned on them.
1t was some one with a well-developed
@y,,1 rY,I,a tod
svowar to the notice of the FBI. Agents
decided to have look. The results were
interesting. Rozinek, it developed, was
q former captain in the German army,
whose real name was Guyula Rozinek.
He had come to this country in 1888
with his wife, who went under the name
of Sari De Hajek, and had acquired
reputation in Europe as a writer and
lecturer. and in the theater, after early
training that included studies on ex-
change scholarships, at oxford and Vas
sar.
Scholarly Attachments.
The American school, according to
her press notices, gave her a bachelor
VI al 10 USslCC ia 10Go. LII lilS oliFCiS 1ty
Of Budapest, she won a masters degree
with a thesis on the folk songs of the
American Negro. She also took degree
In social work in Budapest, directed the
Royal Hungarian Opera and also was
play director in the Hungarian National
Theater. Twice-perhaps three times
In 1899 she made extensive lecture
tours in this country, under the aus
pieces of the Hungarian government, with
various aspects of life in the homeland
as her subject. Women's clubs, learned
societies and educational institutions
were her field. She strengthened asso-
Citations that had started in her school
days. Her travels gave her every OPP
portunity to see what America was doing
or not doing-in the way of strengthen
ing the national defense. And Sari
De Hajek still was in her early 20s, many
years her husbands junior
Despite his wife's prominence Rozinek
carefully avoided the limelight For a
while he was employed in a New York
tours agency, and explained his presence
in this country by saying that he hoped
to organize an export and import bust
ness. He had manufactured steel
fanges in Hungary he said, but his firm
was forced to dissolve when 1t ran into
difficulties because of his partners racial
background.