THE SPY MENACE IN AMERIC.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 30, Issue 20, 12 March 1918, Page 2

THE SPY MENACE IN AMERIC.

STAB-IN-THE-BAOK METHODS.

Recent American newspapers show the grim determination of the people of the United States to leave nothing undone which can help to win the war, and the growing sentiment in favour of taking further measures of self-pro-tection against German Already German subjects over 14 are forbidden

To approach any place of military importance. To reside in the capital or in the Panama Canal zone.

To change their residence without permission. To take passage in any steamboat, excepting public ferries. To ascend in any balloon, airplane, or airship. To stir cut without their registration cards, which they must produce upon demand. This, it is reckoned, affects about 600,000 men—l3o,ooo in New York alone —but many editorial articles consider it does not go far enough to stop ‘ ‘ the carnival of incendiarism.'' It appears that 600 persons have been convicted of crimes in the German interest on or near the Great Lakes, through which millions of tons of war material pass every week. Food supplies, valued at £3,600,000 have been destroyed by fires attributed to German sympathisers. Clearly, the “New York Tribune" thinks, there is a widespreading organisation at work. The cry goes up, therefore, for the internment of all alien enemies. This, the “New York World” admits, would be hard upon those who are innocent of criminal designs, but for it they will have to blame Germany , and the “German propaganda of crime and treachery throughout the world. Every German who suffers, as he thinks, unjustly may be assured that his punishment is the direct result of teachings for which the ruling class of his country accepts full responsibility." Mr Curtis Roth, who was a United States Vice-Consul in Germany, drives this home in the “Saturday Evening Post.” “The world is literally acrawl,” he declares, “with the spies of Central .Europe. They are ' recruited from all nationalities, and are paid mostly according to the value cf each piece of work. Some are ‘patriots’; some hope for commercial and political support after ihe war; a few mrive soci.il advantage and orders in the gift of the Kaiser.”

A solemn warning has been given to the disaffected by Mr T. W. Gregory, a high legal officer of the Department of Justice. “Ninety-five per cent, of the people of the United States,” he said, “would die as willingly for their beliefs as the men of 1776. It is for the other 5 per cent, to show not the slightest manifestation of disloyalty. Our message to them will be delivered through the criminal courts all over the land. And may God have mercy on them, for they need expect none from an outraged people and an avenging Government.”