Soviet Spies Work For Love of Cause

Chronicle (Levin), 11 February 1949, Page 5

Soviet Spies Work For Love of Cause

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9. The operations of a Soviet spy ring that stole Japan's top secrets and helped Russia turn the tide of war against Germany, were disclosed today by the American Army, ! Let by a renegade German, Dr. Richard Sorge, the Communist network flashed word to Moscov/ in 1941 that Hitler's armies would attack Russia. It also tipped Moscow that Japan did not intend to attack the Soviet but instead would move south, thus enabling Stalin ■ to rush Soviet reinforcements from i Siberia and crush the German assault on Moscow. Two of the spy ring's leaders were hanged, five died in prison but others were released when American troops entered Tokio and.mav still be plying their trade in world capitals. Thp ring operated under the noses Ql' Japan's secret police, boldly fiiched documents from the German Embassy in Tokio and transmitted them by clandes- . tine radio to Moscow. j The American Army report says it was the most successful and most unusual Communist espionage circuit anywhere in the world and Dr. Sorge '» machinations made the famous Canadian espionage case seem like an ama teur show. The spy ring was finally betrayed by a woman and by a Japanese male Communist. Woman the Weak L'ink. Through no error of the master agents themselves, the man, Ito Ritsu, described as an "unwitting Judas" in the ring's discovery, is now one ot Japan's top Red leaders but it was the woman, Mrs. Kitabayashi, who was the weak lipk and broke the strong ehain 1 that led to the hangin j of Dr. Sorge and his top lieutenant, Ozaki Hozumi. Tokio police smashed the ring in Qctober 19J1 when Ito Ritsu was arrested on suspicion of seeret Communist activities and promptly informed on Kitabayashi. The report said Ito thought Kitabayashi had turned away from communism and he hoped to enlist police aid for the punishment of a party traitor. There was no evidenee that he had any real reason to think of her as a spy. Kitabayashi talked and because the spy ring had failed to establish a warning system — its only slip up — the leaders were quiekly rounded up and flung into prison. Dr. Sorge 's chief aide, Ozaki Hozumi, had risen to become unofficial adviser to the Japanese Cabinet under Prime Minister Konoye. Dr. Sorge, posing as a Nazi journalist, had close friendly ties with both the German Ambassador, MajorGeneral Eugen Ott, and with the Ger- ( man Gestapo chief in Tokio, Colonel Joseph Meisinger, who later became notorious as the "Beast of Warsaw." Neither the Germans nor Japanese ever had the reinatest suspicion of Dr. Sorge or any one of his gang of 16 men and women, until the linal breakup in '1941,

The report said: "Though the -work of Dr, Sorge and his companions be-' longs to history, the lessons of their work should serve as a clear warning for tqday tfte Soviets seem able to use men as agents who either are not CopjI munist 4Party members at all or who hold party cards whereon the" signatufes, are scarcely dry. The previoug interests and prejudices of the man concerned, rather than formal party allegiance, seems to he far mojre iinportant in determining his selection." The report emphasised that while the spy rjpg dug up data of incalculabie value, it cost Russia Jess than 100U dollars monthly to operate. Dr. Sorge and his agents worked for "love of the cause' * and not for money. They received only enough to cover living and trav^l costs.