ESPIONITIS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4144, 22 January 1916, Page 5

ESPIONITIS.

A RANG WILL STORY

Mr Israel Zangvill recounts some of the dangers of tramping in Britain in war time.

“In tbe more military arc-a~ ft is terrifying—and illuminating—to marK how everything can be transformed under espionitis. Walking slowly, you are spying: briskly, yon are fleeing. Asking the way is suspicious, knowing it- still more so. Consulting your road-map is flagrantly hostile, taking a nature-note treasonable. A book is a code, a manuscript a report, a sketch a chart, accounts statistics, a scrawl a cypher, an electric torch a wireless installation, a Kodak death and damnation. Your haversack holds bombs your card-case somebody else’s cards: your very passport is. no proof you have not murdered the owner. A beard is glaringly faise; beardlessness a shaven mask. If your purse is full it- is with the wages of Judas if you have but little money vou are doubtless out to make it.. To tender gold is to damage British credit; your paper is probably forged. “Gossiping with the cottagers is extracting information, giving pennies to their children is bribery and corruption. To smoke is to reek or the Fatherland, to eschew tobacco the last sacrifice of the Prussian, patriot, to light your pipe at night- is to escort a Zeppelin. Is your name as Saxon as Alfred or Atlielstsn—it is clearly assumed. Does it begin with a Z? You are obviously the cousin or a notorious Count. You may not whistle —that is a call, nor sing— ror that is a password. If you look up you are a voiding men s eyes, as ?°r looking round, we have seen what comes of that. . “Blowing vour ncse, you are signalling with 'a 'handkerchief; swinging vour stick, you are a semaphore; feeding pigeons may bring you to the gallows.' Quaffing at the village pump, von are pumping. it- on the v at-er supply. Conversing with the village idiot, you are m the Interngene© Department- of Berlin. Particularlv parlous is it to telephone, to telegraph requires an arduous avoidance of dangerous ambiguities ‘Back to-night. Don’t- wait up is . c . warning; to suomannos. -tell ** all is arranged’ may be .a message to one’s Imperial master. 'P'cise return to London and let tn© matter drop’ is an unmistakable instruction to Zeppelins. To to Borns or Shelly would be fatal. __