RUSSIA’S SECRET POLICE

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3970, 14 October 1930, Page 7

RUSSIA’S SECRET POLICE

_— TECHNIQUE OF ESPIONAGE

WHEN TOLSTOY’S LETTERS WERE OPENED There is one leaf at least that the Bolsheviks have taken from their predecessor’s book the maintenance of a secret police force. Perhaps the Cheka (or 0.G.P.U., as it is now called) is more tyrannical, more bloodthirsty, even more arbitrary than the Ochrana. But the principle is the same. Secret political police have existed in Russia since the days of Peter the Great (says ‘John o’ London’s Weekly’). The late A, T. Vassilyev, author oi The Ochrana ’ was the last chief of police under the Tsar, and, after suffering imprisonment and privations under the Bolshevik regime, died penniless In France in 1928.

As might be expected, therefore, his book is the apology of a bitter partisan. permeated with the belief in the high calling and integrity of the Ochrana, and from that point of view historically unreliable. But Al. Vassilyev’s evidence concerning the organisation of the service and the technicpie of espionage is both interesting and valuable. it is a pity that the publishers do not disclose the name of the translator, who has acquitted himself I with distinction. 1 SKCHLT C-FNSORSH IP. 1 From the Tsardom’s point of view 1 1 police spies were undoubtedly ueees- i sary. Nihilists, Anarchists, Revolu- j tionary Socialists, and the Polish I'er- I rorists (led by the now famous Marshal ! Pilsudski) were plotting; unceasingly against the regime; and many assassinations were only prevented by discoveries made by the Ochrana. The most notorious and objectionable of its activities was the secret censorship or “ black cabinet.” Tsar Alexander 111., by special edict, bad empowered the .Minister of the interior to open private correspondence. This edict was treated as strictly confidential, and down to the very end of Tsardoin was handed over in a sealed envelope bo each successive Minister. For years all letters of Leo Tolstoy were opened and photographed, and some of his writings in which he expressed his anti-militarist views were submitted to the Tsar. DECIPHERING CODES. Each branch “black cabinet” bad! its staff of linguists and the requisite technical equipment for opening and resealing letters. For the deciphering of coded letters the Ochrana had an expert named Nezlohin, whose flair for ins work was certainly remarkable;- ‘‘ During the course of a domiciliarv visit a sheet of paper was found covered with figures and without a single letter upon it. Nezlohin suggested that i should telegraph for a list of all the hooks found during the search. I certainly had not the haziest idea what this was for, but ! acceded to the wish of my collaborator, and received a report enumerating a number of quite harmless literary works. A short time after Nezlohin placed before me the decoded text of the sheet that, .had looked so incomprehensible. He explained that the key to tiie cipher iiad been provided by page thirty-two of a book by Kuprin. “Poedinka.” Elio numbers signified the line and the let- 1 ter in each tine on that page.” j For this feat Nezlohin was decorated and granted an increase in salary !

Invisible ink created a difficulty, tor if the paper was treated so as to render the ink visible, the letter could not, of course, be delivered. This difficulty was overcome by a police official, who invented a method of deciphering such letters by a photographic process which left no mark on the letter itself.

HOW AGENTS WERE TRAINED. Then there was the “shadowing ” of suspects. The period during which individuals were kept under observation varied considerably; sometimes it was only for a few days, sometimes for yea's For this purpose highly-trained agents were required. Married men were not favoured, and Jews and Roles absolutely baned. These agents must be “ reliable, honest, sober, bold, adroit, intelligent, patient, prudent, obedient, and of good health —ami their political reliability was continually tested by the simple method of employing other secret agents to spy upon them! “ The first business of the new recruit was to make bimseil thoroughly acquainted with the town in which he was to he stationed, especially with drinking-houses, taverns, and houses with an access to two or more streets. Th-n he must know all about droslikies and motors, their stances, and their fares; the hours of arrival and departure of the main long-distance trains, times for beginning and stopping work in the various factories and workshops.’' in shadowing a suspect in the streets, the agent must take ad van tag-; of every short cut to hurry ahead and so avoid suspicion. He must never allow his eyes to meet the eyes oi liis iH THE ELEMENT OF ROMANCE.

If the person under observation was in a building, a cab would stop at the door of a neighbouring tavern.» Iho coachman (an agent) would keep watch from his box. while the other agents would stay drinking in the inn. When the quarry emerged, the coachman signalled to the other agents, and the chase began again.

‘‘ A consequence of the arduous and dangerous service performed by tiiese agents was that they generally aged quickly and suffered from nervous trouble. However, it was a comparatively rare occurrence for one of them to retire of his own accord from Ids profession, for, in spite of all the trials and peril-, these men were fond of the Service, probably not least of all because there was an element of romance in it.”

M. Vassilyev’s last act as chief of police, though fraught with tragic consequences for him. had its humorous aspect. It was on the eve oi the February devolution : “ Unfortunately, Kerensky was protected by his immunity as a member of the Duma. ! had had him watched by agents, and they had observed him in a restaurant handing over certain pape" to an individual who was at once arrested and confessed that he had received from Kerensky the. seditions proclamations found upon him. i hereupon I applied to the Ministry of Justice to have Kerensky deprived of his immunity, so that the poliee might lay hold of him. Pate willed it that, a low days later. Kerensky himself should become .Minister of Justice, and L tin’s capacity should take cognisance of the proposal I bad made to restrict bis liberty!'