SPIES LANDED?

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 32, 8 February 1943, Page 2

SPIES LANDED?

AUSTRALIAN BELIEF LEAKAGE OF INFORMATION (0.C.) SYDNEY, February 5. The army believes that military information is still reaching the enemy from Australia. It is thought that spies may have been landed from submarines, and that enemy agents may be sending information by means of short-wave radio installed in trucks like the Freedom radios in Europe. Such mobile radios are very difficult to locate by directional means because they are stationary for so short a time. Gossip in public places is one source of information to the enemy, the Federal Government believes. In a statement on the matter, the Attorney-General (Dr. Evatt) said the public probably failed to realise how easily apparently insignificant scraps of gossip could be pieced- together to form a significant pattern. An example of this was provided recently in a northern town. A Government agent visited places of public recreation, and from idle gossip obtained sufficient information to establish the identity of Australian units in the operational areas and their whereabouts. Knowledge which he obtained about contemplated troop movements necessitated reconsideration of the programme. It was also found that, while entertaining troops, women often heard items of gossip which, when repeated outside service circles could have endangered the lives of the very men whose welfare they were trying to promote. Dr. Evatt said it was now safe to disclose that the gossip of two men in a suburban . train in Sydney regarding damaged ships (now fortunately again on service) was broadcast shortly afterwards by Berlin radio. , The two passengers had named the ships and disclosed that they were to be repaired in Sydney. The broadcast from. Berlin, distorted for propaganda purposes, was that heavily-damaged American warships were being towed to Sydney, as they were unable to make the journey to an American base 3000 miles away.