ESPIONAGE NETWORK

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 27 February 1935, Page 9

ESPIONAGE NETWORK

EXECUTION OF SPIES OVER THIRTY IN A YEAR

THEFTS OF PLANS AND SECRETS

The execution of two spies reported from Germany this week may tjpar, but is not*likely to damage very severely the net of espionage spread about the capitals and secret places of practically every country in the world. Execution of secret service agents is a post-war development. Imprisonment in a fortress was generally the prewar penalty of the captured foreign spy.

In the 12 months ended little more than a year ago, 183 persons were convicted of espionage in Europe alone, e and of these, no fewer than 31 suffered death. The figures have been corapiled by Richard W. Rowan, and incorporated in a fascinating story of c modern espionage under the title of 1 “The Spy Menace” (Tho-rnton But--2 terworth, Limited). Mr Rowan asserts that in 14 named espionage fever T spots in Central Europe there are today, 10,000 talented men and women ' devoting all their spare time to secret service work, and that there are tliou- ■ sands active elsewhere in less nation-, ally congested quarters of the world. MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS. Reciting a few major achievements of spies in recent years Mr Rowan says; i “Russian agents secured plans of a proposed Japanese Siberian campaign , from the War Office at Tokio. Spies {obtained the French plans tor sending food and munitions to border fortresses, such as Belfort, in time of siege. They have acquired the formulae of many experimental war gasses and gas shells, and or the new incen-didi-y thermite grenades. They stole one of the new French automatic rifles of the fight type known as chatelleraut. (This was the particular pride of the French general staff, and the weapon was stolen from under their noses after a ‘secret’ demonstration). ' “Spies., have offered for sale in Europe and Asia plans of American war aeroplanes and of the new Co miles an hour American tank. Foreign agents arrested at the German frontier were found to be carrying away transcripts of secret lectures delivered at the French staff college. Russion spies have repeatedly tapped the telephone lines of the Polish Ministry of War. Mercenary agents have been offering to sell military and industrial mobilisation plans, as well as ' secret codes prepared for use in war, which have been stolen or obtained through bribery or blackmail that pertain to France, Czecho-Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Germany and Rumania. | A treason trial in Rome brought out ’ tho fact that the agents of the French , 1 naval intelligence have acquired true- 1 ings or photographs of the official v plans of Italian fortifications, naval plans, marine inventions and every, Italian war vessel now in commis- * sion.” 1 WINDOW-CLEANER’S RUSE. It is Mr Rowan’s belief, which he * supports .by elaborately prepared schedule's, that the secret service forces ,f tho nations are at war now r». j c that they have detailed plans for in- i dieting mortal wounds on enemy coun- I tries by means chiefly of sabotage the moment war is declared officially. These plans even go the lengths of 1 preparing the public mind to accept I the idea that the enemy is the ag- t gressoiv However much this may or ’ may not be so, there is more fascination in the author’s description of various methods of acquiring and 1 transmitting in|formajtion. *■ Thus a window-cleaner at a Govern- j ment- office in London had a small but powerful camera fitted in liis bucket. With this he photographed likely-look-ing coded documents on a table placed o near the window. He gave himself r away by neglecting an important part 1 of a window-cleaner ’ s life—he never t drew his pay. The -resources of the j laboratory have played havoc with the 1 pretensions of invisible inks, and' cap- s tare with the facilities for writing in- c visibly makes convictioli so certain that not a great deal of it is now done. The counter-agent these days i views askance the most innocent- 1 appearing message, especially when t the address is that of a “cover” or- i' lice. *

| As a specimen of such Mr Rowan quotes this telegram: “As standard quotations are identical reject next two minimum claim allowances which magnify every deduction stop award contract unless members swear absolute bankruptcy stop attorneys ultimatum seems acceptable providing numerous liquid assets mentioned bring estimated valuation stop after rates clauses skip clauses making interest addition estate lien annually assessed stop promise future accord stop is option secure. —Fergus. ” This message contains also this one: “Sturdee will have two new battle-cruisers at Falklands, instruct Spee.” Unfortunately for the sender the address he gave in Stockholm was known to the British as a “cover” address for German spies.