SPYING AND TREACHERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15930, 29 May 1915, Page 5 (Supplement)

SPYING AND TREACHERY.

DIFFERENCES DISCUSSED.

THK POSITION OK RUSSIA.

Tin: questions of treachery and spying aie discussed in an interesting manner in the Paily Express by Lieutenant-Colonel Iloustam Bek. • •

I ci»nn6twassociate the idea of. treachery with that of spying, he says. Treachery involves a shadow for the whole nation. 'Spying is a profession: persons who willingly or for reasons of duty unclettakj this discreditable part of the 'work of the intelligence department of every war office are spies, but not traitors.

•Spies can be divided into three sections —spins by profession; who voluntarily, for certain sums of money, give their services to thewar office; military spies, who are necessary during war, and who sacrifice themselves in accomplishing their duty to their country; and spies who work voluntarily for their country at their, omi expense, for patriotic reasons, having a powerful organisation in the country ot tile enemy where they are naturalised, and under rover of this they sometimes, attain considerable success.

• From a legal point of view, of course, these last commit certain treachery, but from a moral point of view they always think that they are accomplishing their duty, though in an underhand way, for their fatherland. In the case of these latter being caught they are court-mar-tialled as traitors; the others are treated as spies. Treachery is quite a different thing. The idea of treachery can' bo understood only if we suppose that for example a Rtiesian, of- Russian origin, especially when lie is in (Jig army or navy or holds a confidential Government post, comes into connection with the enemy, especially in war time, and gives away such information as can bring disaster to the army or navy. Such a person is a traitor. ' In Russian history we have.iveiry few examples of military treachery, and the cases which have arisen—exceiit, perhaps' the instance of Jlaze.na at-the time of 1 etcr the Great—are not important. . German Female Element. Quite a different position lias arisen in Russia with regard to German spies— fessional as well as voluntary There are many Russians, even in the army,; married to Germing who belong in Germany to high society. The Russian woman is biehly patriotic, but extrenielv ignorant in military matters, especially "when she 's away from military societv. 'flu German woman is absolutely a German patriot, but more Chauvinistic than the Russian; she never becomes Russian by nature during the whole of her life, and educates her children in Russia —though Russian subjects—in such a way that they become more German than Russian at heart. .Such a mother dreams only of returning as quickly a.i possible to her Fatherland with Russian money and with knowledge of Russian life—military as well as civil—which at the first o'poorhinity she will Communicate to the intelligence department of the Gorman General Staff.

Rush to Sipas. As far as 1 have gathered frf m Russian friends whom I have met recently, many German wins of important Russians left different towns in Russia before the outbreak of war. in 'order to " restore their health" at Herman s<;as. and wcrs welcomed by our enemy. They wen not put with other poisons in concentration camps. but enjoyed th:ii' liberty in exchange for the valuable information which they brought with them.

The Russians knew that, and took some important precautions. They superintended all Germans, even though Russian .subjects, and a special intelligence department attached to each army headquarters used special military police, to watch carefully the region occupied by the arm; and its rear.

Friends of mine who were British corI respondents with the Russian Army have told me with admiration how careful the Russians are; but the most active watchI fulness on the part of the army to proI tect itself from spies is sometimes power- ' less, especially "hen the population of ! the hostile countries have been too much 1 mixed during peace, and if in th; Masurian Likes r.ction there was evidence of successful work of spies, there is absolutely not tn» slightest trace of treachery by any Russian. No, in Russia we do not find treachery; neither can we find it in Great Britain, (France,, or Scivia. ' ■ ' •