RUSSIAN MILITARY SECRETS

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1096, 7 April 1911, Page 5

RUSSIAN MILITARY SECRETS

ALLEGED BRITISH PURCHASE. By Tekeraph—Press Association—Copyriclit St. Petersburg, April 5. A man named Povage, an ex-sailor, has been sentenced to twelve years' penal servitude for treason in supplying a British naval attache, on two occasions, with copies of secret flag codes and secret Russian information relating to the navies of other Powers.

THE ETHICS OF SPYING. Both English and German newspapers have agreed to take the Leipzig trial very good-naturedly, said the "Manchester Guardian," in writing of the trial of two English officers for spying in Germany last year. "Wo havo both been found out, they are saying in effect to each other, but let us bo good friends on the basis of mutual suspicion. To the marriage of true minds a liberal use of private detectives need be no impediment. (Ye liko the optimism of that view and value its motives; but, afler all, is it miite wise to glozc over the danger and discredit of international espionage. , '

Is Spying' Honourable? "The ethics of spying are. a thorny topic, but wo ought not on that account to avoid it. There is no end of casuistry of the subject. The use of spies in war time is considered to be legitimate, but tho spy is always liable if ho is caught to the disgraceful punishment of hanging. Why should it bo accounted honourable to employ spies and dishonourable to be one? Apparently there are two codes of honour—one for the nation, tho other for the individual; tho nation is not dishonoured by accepting services which are regarded as dishonourable to the individual. Tho paradox becomes sharper when espionage is practised in time of peace. In war it may justly, be said a nation is fighting for its existence, and cannot always pick fastidiously among the means offered of saving it's skin; besides, spies and stratagems are recognised in war, and (Jio enoniy is supposed to be on his guard against them. The outbreak of war is what the lawyers would call constructive notice that stratagems may Iμ expected. But the employment of spies in peace time negatives the idea of perfect friendship, and gives the lie to the public professions on both sides. It taints with insincerity the political efforts that are being made to ensure peace. Politics cannot be carried on in watertight compartments. These stratagems of war will percolate through from your war department and damage your advocacy of peace.

Spies ant) Stratagems. "Our own War Office Manual in its article on 'Spies and Stratagems' lays it down that 'an officer may feign to be a traitor for the purposes of ensnaring an enemy who attempts to corrupt his fitlel|ty, but if he voluntarily makes overtures to the enemy under pretences of being a traitor, and then deceives tho enemy with, fal-e information, his conduct is dishonourable and contrary to the rules of war.' Dishonourable and contrary to the rules of war as it is, the practice is not unknown in peace time, hut is said to be a favourite device on the Continent for confusing the possible future enemy with a mass of contradictory information, so that ho shall not know the truth even when by chance lie gets it "