Spy Catchers

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 106, 7 May 1938, Page 8 (Supplement)

Spy Catchers

By---Stanley Bishop,

MOW the official secrets trial is l> over at Old Bailey, let's take a look at that most mysterious Government office M.1.5 where they catch spies as easily as a fly-paper catches flies. Its giiinps on must necessarily be verv fjpcrot nnd ..hscure. because ' its first fund inn is "counter-espionage. - ' Perhaps T know as much about it ns any journalist, nut 1 can't tell it you —it there would be another official secrets trial with Stanley Bishop j n the dock. But T may properly reveal enough to "debunk" M.1.5 from" the silly mystery in which it has been dressed up—enough to show you Mint it is a prosaic but very necr-sary part of the defence of the realm. Only when official secrets cases turn Up in court dues the |uililic receive n small hint of what this nil-important protection service is cluing. Then the or ler, "in camera," is made for police court or sessions and the real story is li i< I den. Because the nature of its work requires M.1.5. to retain essential anonymity. Except in the case of one or two executives—Colonel Hinehley Cooke, for example—the names of its personnel must not bo mentioned. If their connection with the department was suspected, their usefulness would vanish. They must always appeftr to be what they are not; men and women playing a part.

For M.T.o. trades in the safety of the realm. It is that section of "military intelligence" which helps to control Britain's counter-espionage organisation. Much has been written about the department which is pure nonsense. From every point of view it is only right that the real position should be understood. During the present year oiir national expenditure on all phases of "secret service" will exceed £500,000. First, there is the "secret service vote," administered by the Foreign Office and the Treasury. Details of this fund—on whom, on what and how spent —are known only to the permanent secretary heads. Accounts are kept personally by Sir Warren Fisher, chief of the Civil Service. An item appears on the reports form and that is all. Enough that the two secretaries were agreed that the outlay was necessary, and brought immediate value—or promise of value. Each of the fighting services—the Royal Navy- Army and Royal Air Force —-haa, in" its turn, an allocation for secret intelligence. The three intelligence branches work in the closest co-operation. There it a constant interchange of information. Ready at call for emergency, apart from the administrative staffs, are all manner of experts. Included among them are those ingeniously minded individuals who can simplify any code or cipher, no matter how difficult.

Famous Crime Reporter. M.1.5. is tho principal machine for counter-espionage and tl* detection of foreign agents in this country. Under its direction are a very large number of observer?, reporters and trackers. Its eyes nnd ears aro everywhere; in the city of London, tho YYe.«t End; in manufacturing and shipbuilding town.;, as well as throughout all naval ports, garrisons and Royal Air L'orce stations at home and abroad. Within every commercial undertaking holding contracts from the Government is some person -prominent or obscure — who will supply M.1.5. with the facts wanted in event of need. Example of what is done; Sabotage was suspected in the Royal Dockyards. Certain engine?r officers, because of their experience in shipbuilding yards of the North and on the Clyde, were detailed for special duty. They were taken on as craftsmen and labourers in the dockyards. They were the mates of the ordinary workpeople for months. Doing all sorts of jobs, they mixed with the men. Officers became dockyard workers. All the wliile, they were reporting on things seen and heard until a dossier of evidence was complete.

All agents of M.1.5. are picked on the Fame principle. Men and women who can mix within any required company are chosen. Quite possibly a member of your own family, or your next-door neighbour, may bfi acting in some sphere for M.1.55. Working in association with M.1.5. is the Special (Political) Branch of Scotland Yard. Valuable assistance is also given by the Investigation branches of tlie General Post Office, and the Customs, and the aliens oflicer of the Home Office. "I.B." of the Post Office is particularly useful in dealing with the apparently innocent correspondence of suspects. Kemember that in the case of Baillie Stewart, the ex-Army officer spy, every move of his v.as known in advance, mainly through the letters he wrote. Usually, it is after preliminaries that the help of ihe Yard Special Branch is obtained. Inquiries have reached a stage when a detective officer can properly continue. Besides there are cases which never reach the courts. A visitor from a foreign state in England for outward business or pleasure, seems to take an undue amount of interest in things which M.1.5. would rather he did not know about. Perhaps it is simply curiosity. Anyway, it is not desirable. So through the Home Office and the police—with M.1.5. pulling the strings, the foreigner is politely told that he is no longer truly welcome in England.

thousand ami cue sources in this country and abroad daily reaches the offices of" M.1.5. for addition to the records or for possible immediate action. Sensational excitement would be caused if some of the names on those files were ever made known. It is hard work; drab work in the main. And believe me, the salaries of the men, "whose names must not be mentioned." .vould not excite an income tax collector. Results are the criterion for payments in any enterprise. Beyond question M.1.5. does get those results.