THE GERMAN SEARCH.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 51, 3 June 1916, Page 3

THE GERMAN SEARCH.

SWIFT, BUT THOROUGH. j HOW IT IS DONE. A Russian correspondent who recently visited Germany wrote for the Daily Chronicle a description of his experiences. The following extract gives a vivid description of the way he was searched after landing at Warnemunde ; One of the "suhs." takes my passport and guides me into the next room; the civilian follows him. I am in a large custom-honse hall, provided with counters running on both sides; on these counters our luggage is heaped. I look for mine. "Open, and take out all contents, comes a sharp order from the lieutenant - I clear out everything up to the Inst dirty handkerchief. The projector on a stand flares np with a hiss, and under its piercing rays my clothes >re passed one after the other. Each double collar is opened; every tie is searched, and the socks turned inside out. After this second cycle of the Herman purgatory my belongings are again packed up and proper labels attached.

Am T free at last? T am taken into a third room, before the presence of the superior authority, the Heir Hauptmann and a few young offi-

cer». At first come the usual questions: "Name?" "Where?" "Why?" and then- "What is your profession?" I name a certain branch of business which I chose, to represent. "You are going to Germany on

business?" "Yes." . , . , "With what firms and in what towns do you intend doing busi-

ness?" I R ive the names and addresses »' a. few firms. An energetic lieutenant reaches from one of the numerous shelves a directory and checks my statement. ''But. Where have you been living recently ?" "I give the name of a neutral country. "How long have you lived there? I reply. "And whence are you proceeding from Germany?"

I name a town in another country. "And what is your permanent address?" ' ' , .

I again give a reply, but of course I do not mention Moscow or any other Russian town.

Without saying a word the lieutenant hands to' the captain a few Baedekers. ■ I recognise their red bindings. .-..-* "You say you have; lived so many years at N•? , Can you tell me where you lived there?" </.iLname a. street and the number of a house which I know to exist in N, but where I have never lived. • "-You know, of course, the-street Y? Can you tell me. how the square at the- end of it is' called?"

I give the necessary reply, and submit to a further string of, such questions. -I-have to. tell< tlnv whereabouts of the'p^t'office,-the Palace, such and such' a' theatre, 'shops, statues, -ek-., 'etc-'. 1 yln'- short; 5 1 had to give such 'in-foi'fh'a-tion'as' the 'captain 'could easily check by his Baedeker. I passed" the

examination with honours. "You say you lived constantly, ai> as if wishing to trip me up. I repeat the name of a tiny little town in a , small neutral country, and I cannot help laughing inwardly at the per- ; plexity in which the German officer j will soon find himself, because I | know that a description of this little j town will not be found in any of the Baedekers. He sea relies his Baedc- | ker for the place, and having found j only a tiny dot on the map angrily J gives up the game. j . "Now will you follow me," says one , of the lieutenants, and guides me to !a corridor, along both sides of which run cubicles like clonk-rooms in a 'miniature theatre in some provincial | town. We enter one of the cubicles. "Will you have the goodness to un- j dress but, first of all, please take off lyour boots." The lieutenant takes , the boots and hands them over to the soldier who accompanies us. j "Have no fear. .We shall rip them open and take off the heels,' but we will, sew them up again. and return in good condition." Of course, it is useless to protest; I take off everything. All my body, right down to my feet and nails, is carefully inspected by means of an 'electric lamp. The lining of my suit 'i<i all ripped open, hut is not sown up again. The contents of my pockets are carefully examined. Needles;, to say, T have no letters, books, papers, nor documents, except my passport. The lieutenant takes his glasses and looks through my passport, opens my watch, looks at its mechanism, reads. the trade mark;o;f the manufacturers, and then takesjmyi fountain-pen, • with which T never pfirfc,' pours out the j ink, and is busy probing its inside ' with a hat-pm. '• .• . • ! "What can one hide there?" 1 ask inquisitively. "Have you never seen pendants, rings, and other things? You hold them up to the light, and through a I tiny little point you see highly magnified views of cathedrals, of mountains, or of towns, etc. Well, you can do the same with any document, reduce it photographically, and carry it at the bottom of your fountainpen." I had to agree that this was quite possible. The lieutenant is chatting freely with me, at the same time, of course, trying to catch me unawares. But lam on my guard. My boots were brought in, and, indeed, on the soles one could see new neat stitches. T dress, and at last the final stage is reached. A fifth officer, baggies with me about the time ' I • should spend in Germany, and T obtain permission to stay ten days in Berlin and four in Dresden'. I breathe freely once, more and go on the platform. I look at ray watch; all these investigations have taken up altogether fifty-five minutes. I find my place in tlie train, and make myself comfortable. Four hours hence I shall l>e in Bejlin. Somehow I 'cannot believe it, and it seems to me that it is all- a dream.