IN GERMANY.

Taihape Daily Times, 27 June 1918, Page 3

IN GERMANY.

SOME PRESS OPINIONS. KAISER’S ASTONISHING ARMY OF SPIES. 100,000 GERMANS -DROWNED IN . ’ / FLANDERS. The extraordinary number of German agents and spies who are still working for the Fatherland in England, France, Spain, the Scandinavian countries, and America formed the subject of an illuminating article in a recent issue of the Sunday Berlin Tageblatt. Editor Theodor Wolff apparently had no intention of affording infirmation to the enemy in the matter. He was merely concerned with the scandal of granting examption from the new German taxation proposals to this army of shirkers who, under the pretence of working for Germany, are living a life of luxury abroad and escaping military service. The Togcbjlatt’s unconscious ire volitions were as follows:

“The people who, know what is going on are amazed to learn how enormous is the number of people who are working in Germany’s interest in foreign countries, It will be extraordinarily interesting to hear something one day about their duties and their achievements When the war broke out we were told in Germany that we had not done enough to make sure of the moral conquest of the world, that our resources in the matter of secret agents were too small and methods too old-fashioned. Instantly there arose a number of persons quick to understand the magnitude of the opportunity' that was presented and all these offered to help the Fatherland in its dire necessity. Everyone who pretended that ho had some relationship with foreigners was sent away with plenty of money. Adventurous plans (of which nothing more was ever heard)) were greedily accepted, and we threw ourselves into a great propaganda work which was considered ‘intelligent’ and ‘modern’ All this was supposed to win over the world and turn the hearts of foreign peoples towards us. In reality it spoiled the little that remained to spoil. In the remotest corners of the world and still more extensively in neighbouring countries this work of ‘information’ was started. All it has shown is that Germany still has a large reserve of strong men of military age.”