The Dominion. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1914. THE WILES OF THE ENEMY '

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2285, 20 October 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1914. THE WILES OF THE ENEMY '

Almost every day new facts are being brought to light regarding the widespread system of espionage which has been established by Germany;. France iaud Belgium seem to iiavo been absolutely over-run by German spies, and since the commencement of the war the' British public has been astonished at the discovery of numerous indications of the organised activity of the enemies' secret agents in Great Britain. This elaborate spy system was plainly planned long before the present struggle commenced. For years the German war party has been preparing tor a great trial of strength with .Britain, and they have left nothing to chance. They seem to have friends among every section of the community; who have been collecting useful information and preparing in many rni r. WayS fol ' fcllC i ,11 ? ° f l)iltfcleilie Germans have raissd spying to the,position of a science. They have gone into it with all the thoroughness for which their nation has become famous, and they have not been handicapped in this matter by anything in- the, nature of an overscrupulous regard for the dictates of honour or honesty. In Franco and Belgium their agents seem to have allowed no detail to escape their, attention: and almost every conceivable possibility, appears to have been provided for. Recent happenings have revealed the startling fact that long before the commencement of hostilities concrete foundations for heavy guns had been laid at points of vantage so as to be ready for the use of the invading army, and the great activity of the .secret _ agents responsible for these is indicated by many other surprising occurrences of a similar.nature.' In Britain the police have- discovered guile a network of espionage. Sentries have been shot at, attempts have been made to destroy public property, and all sorts of schemes and plots, have been devised to assist the enemy. German spies have also been active in Canada and Australia, and even in our own Dominion there are indications that a sectiofi of the Kalser's vast army of spies has been at work. The latest revelations of the craft and subtlety'of the enemy include suspicious constructions in certain German factories' in En'gi land, and the rebel movement in South Africa, for which German intrigue is mainly responsible. It is not surprising that this formidable accumulation of evidence of systematic espionage in various parts of the British Empire has arrested public attention. There is a strong and growing feeling of indignation at the inadequacy of the measures which have so far been taken to grapple with the situation. The authorities seem to be hampered in their action by a mistaken generosity which is simply playing into the hands of our fpes. Generally speaking, the penalties inflicted have been- far too lenient to act as a deterrent, and there has been a general lack of vigour in counteracting the "knavish tricks" of our .unscrupulous adversaries, ilm weakness on the part of the authorities is being strongly resented by the public, and a section of the people seem inclined to take, the law into their own hands. Tho antiGerman riots which have taken place in England are a natural result of official apathy. Whenever any attempt to betray our country to its enemies is sheeted home, the punish-' mont should be made severe enough to discourage others from playing the same dangerous game. Leniency in such cases may have ■ disastrous consequences. The present is no time for indulging in weak displays of flabby sentimentality, for generosity of this sort to our enemies may mean calamity to our own people. The German spy system, in all its various forms, must be vigorously fought, and it is only by.hard hitting that it can be crushed or kept in check. It shows no mercy and it deserves hone. We are in the midst of a life and death struggle with remorseless foes who will stop at nothing to gain their ends, and we only make ourselves a laughing-stock in their eyes by showing leniency '-.o peiFons who are endeavouring to encompass our ruin. In'a , war in which our national existence is at stake, we must fight against all the wiles of the enemy with every effective weapon which the law of natrins permits us to use. There should be no mercy for spies and traitors.