FRENCH SPIES IN RHINELAND

Evening Star, Issue 20311, 21 October 1929, Page 7

FRENCH SPIES IN RHINELAND

THE SECRET SERVICE SYSTEM The headquarters of the French Sc*vet Service are the so-called ‘ ‘ Second Bureau” in the Ministry of War at Paris. This bureau is in ’touch with the Ministrv of Foreign Affairs' as well as with the Ministry of the Interior, which in its turn is affiliated to the “ Sureto Generate, ” a kind of political police, who must- not be confused with the “ Police d’Etat.” The officials and agents of tbo “ Surete’’—about 1,000 strong—aro at the permanent disposal of the Ministry of War. and are employed in obtaining political information, in espionage and counter-espion-age, and in recruiting persons who will serve as spies and agents a correspondent tn the. ‘ Manchester Guardian Weekly.’ rt Thero is a'branch ol the /‘Sureto at Mainz, in the Rhineland. It is subordinated to the General Headquarters of the French Army of Occupation, and is made up of about 10-officers and about 35 employees. There are subbranch services at Coblenz and Treves. THREE SERVICES. _ ■ These three services that arc maintained in the Rhineland as part of the French occupation are called “ bureaux statistiques,” “ econo'miques,” or “ techniques.” ■ They are the nucleus of a spy system that covers all Germany. They employ a, number of secret agents, known as “ indicateurs,” who aro recruited either by the officials of the “ Surete ” or by Germans in French pay. the so-called 11 recruteurs.” _ The , “ indicateurs ” are ordinary spies. They are sent into unoccupied territory after they have given proof of their capacity and of their contact with German sources of. information. They number about 1,800 or 2,000. They investigate all German factories and workshops where there seems to be the slightest chance that war materia] might be produced. - They take special interest in the chemical industry, and try to obtain samples, plans, patents, secret recipes, and methods, and so on. They make'surveys of athletic grounds both in occupied and unoccupied territory, in case they

might be suitable, landing or starting places for aeroplanes in case of war. These “indicateurs” are especially concerned with finding out anything that might be considered a German infringement of the Treaty of Versailles. HOW SPIES ARE RECRUITED. The officials of the “Surete” in all the Rhineland number about ISO. Besides the branches at'Mainz, Coblenz, and Treves, there arc so-called “ sccteurs” in Wiesbaden, Jvreuznaoh, Hochst, Bad Ems, Duren, Kniserlaulent, Zweibnickeu, Pirraa&cnz, Speyei. Ludwigsliafen, and Landau. Each “ sccteur ” employs about ten officials, whoso duty it is to keep a close watch on the whole of, tbo occupied territory. They, like the special “recruteurs,” hare to recruit spies and agents, and on the first of every month they draw up a list of their new recruits and forward it to Mainz. They have instructions to approach such persons as might be easily influenced—those, for example; who live beyond their means, who drink heavily, or who bear Germany some grudgo. They also try to join German clubs and societies, and to get into touch with German officials. Methods and pay. They have instructions to approach German regular soldiers (Reichswehrmen) who come to the Rhineland on leave (no German troops can be stationed iu ' the demilitarised zone). Every Reichswehrman has to obtain a permit from the inter-Allied military authorities before he can come to the Rhineland on leave. The “Surete” are always informed, and one of their agents will try to start a conversation with the German soldier, trill treat him to drinks, or will promise him employment with good pay. Several times it has happened that a German soldier on leave has been trapped into saying too much, and has. in a rash moment, given some sort of information ho should not have given. Once having done this he is lost. Ho will be blackmailed by being told that unless he works for the’ French he will bo reported to the German authorities. The “recruteurs” get from 1,000 to 3,000 francs (about ±lB 4s to £25) a month. For every “ indicateur ” they recruit they get a premium of from 50 to 500 francs. If they have been very successful and if the’German authorities are on their tracks—unlike the officials of the “Surete,” they are German subjects, and therefore liable to arrest and trial under German law —they receive employment in France. The French are very anxious that none of their agents shall be caught 1 by the Germans. Some time ago a certain Dovennann (alias Losser) was' caught by German detectives at Euskir- j chon. He broke away from his cap-1 tors and made a successful dash for the • rooms of the French “ Commissaire Militaire.” A French military escort arrived and took him to Main? At ■ Mainz he received a French uni form, in which he could cross into French territory unhindered.