Everybody has heard of the tremendous ramifications of the German
military spy system, which had every move of England's army and navy
under observation, every gun emplacement mapped out and knew every
order given to the army before it reached the subordinate officers.
Englishmen were powerless to shake off this spy danger, which
penetrated into every branch of national life, but English women took
up the matter, brought the most dangerous spies to trial, put the
others under armed guard and in various other ways made the lives of
spies and suspected spies a burden to them.
They have proved that women are the only efficient "spy trappers." The
leaders of the undertaking are women of title, for they alone would
have the authority, means and prestige to carry out such a difficult
and far-reaching work.
The organizer and "chairman" of the committee that has been rounding up
the spies is Lady Glanusk, wife of a peer and officer, a woman of keen
mind and very determined, yet tactful personality. Other members are
the Duchess of Wellington, who is president; the Duchess of Beaufort,
the Duchess of Sutherland, the Marchioness of Sligo, Countess Bathurst,
the Countess of Lanesborough, Viscountess Massereene and Ferrard,
Viscountess Combermere, Viscountess Cobham, Lady Vincent, Lady Leith of
Fyvie, Mrs. Harold Baring and others.
Among them are some of the most notably beautiful women in English
society and others who are distinguished by their winning personality.
Perhaps the most striking beauty is the Viscountess Massereene and
Ferrard, whose husband is the chief of a celebrated Irish family.
Equally attractive in her way is the young Duchess of Sutherland, whose
husband is the largest landowner in Scotland and the United Kingdom.
Another member of the committee noted for her beauty is Mrs. Harold
Baring, who was formerly Miss Marie Churchill, of New York. Her husband
belongs to the famous English banking family that possesses four
peerages. Lady Leith of Fyvie, is another American born member. She was
Miss Marie January, of St. Louis. Womanly intuition and womanly guile
exercised by these attractive "spy trappers," on many social occasions,
have led many Germans to make admissions they would never have made to
a man.
Before the war thousands of Germans were in positions of trust in
England, ranging from heads of banks down to such positions as butlers
in prominent English families and headwaiters in leading hotels. Many
people believe that German butlers in the employ of British Cabinet
ministers and British generals have been the most important agents
for conveying military information to the enemy. Standing silent and
discreet behind their employers and their guests at the table, they
listened to many military secrets and they also had other opportunities
for gathering information.
One of the fair members of the committee dined one evening at the house
of an English general with a small party of persons highly placed in
military and official life. When the general joined the ladies in the
drawing room after dinner the fascinating "spy trapper" drew him aside
and said:
"General, before I go, I want you to arrest your butler and search his
belongings. He is a German spy," she said.
"But Lady ----," said the general in amazement, "he has been with me
for ten years. The man is an excellent butler."
"No doubt," said the lady, "but he is also an excellent spy. Never
speak to me again if I am wrong."
The butler's room was searched and many notes of an incriminating
character were found. The lack of positive evidence that he had sent
information to the German Government saved his life, but he was sent to
prison with a host of other German spies.
It is generally understood that Carl Hans Lody, the German spy executed
in the Tower of London, was brought to trial through the efforts of the
women's committee, although the members disclaim the achievement.
Lody was an officer of the German naval reserve who had resided some
years in the United States, married and deserted his wife there. He
was engaged for a time as an agent of an English tourist agency in
America, work which gave him an excellent opportunity for watching
military preparations.
Last August he obtained an American passport from the American Embassy
in Berlin, under the name of Charles A. Inglis, of New York, American
citizen. He went to England with instructions to obtain information
concerning the movements of the English fleet for the German Government.
In the disguise of an American tourist, he visited the principal
seaports of the United Kingdom. While he was viewing the romantic
scenery in the vicinity of Edinburgh, an attractive member of the
ladies' committee made his acquaintance. Under the influence of
sympathetic society Lody became more communicative than discretion
warranted.
Behind the superficial American accent the natural German accent
revealed itself in the warmth of confidence. A few days later, Lody
was arrested and letters, which he had written to Germany, giving
information concerning English naval movements and which had been
seized in the mails, were produced.
Lody admitted that he was acting as a spy. After a short trial he was
condemned to be shot in the old Tower of London. He met his fate very
bravely.
The "ladies' committee" has hunted down all German headwaiters and
waiters employed in the principal English hotels and restaurants and
caused them to be removed to detention camps. These men, owing to the
peculiar character of their work, enjoyed an excellent opportunity for
meeting persons of all the important classes of society, and in the
free expansion that ordinarily takes place at the table all kinds of
confidences were exchanged within their hearing.
Many Germans of high social position and great wealth, some of them
naturalized British subjects, have been pursued by the relentless
"ladies' committee." Professor Arthur Schuster, a born German, but a
naturalized Englishman, was surprised at his luxurious country seat,
when a band of detectives descended on him and seized his private
wireless apparatus.
Lady Glanusk explained to the correspondent of this newspaper some of
the aims and labors of the committee.
She has turned the drawing and reception rooms of her fine house, at
No. 30 Bruton street, Mayfair, into offices for the committee.
"Owing to the fact," said Lady Glanusk, "that no serious effort has
been made by our menkind to round up the 73,000 alien enemies in our
midst, I felt the call to start a protest by women, as it is women who
are the greatest sufferers by war. My husband and two sons are fighting
at the front and thousands of women can say very much the same.
"Ten days after I issued my appeal to the women of England I had formed
my committee with the definite object that all alien-born enemies,
whether German, Austrian or Turk, of military age, be forthwith
interned, whether naturalized or not. Other alien enemies above
military age or under should be removed at least twenty miles from the
coasts and kept under surveillance.
"I consider that women as spies and decoy ducks are more dangerous than
men.
"To such an extent have the women of England been roused that in the
first couple of weeks more than 200,000 signatures to the petition to
be presented to Parliament were obtained.
"Alien enemies, Germans and Austrians particularly, were spread all
along the coast towns and it was impossible to know whether or not
they were in constant communication with the enemy. For my part, I
would like to see as many as possible of these 'useless non-combatants'
dumped right onto German soil. It would be amusing to think of the
embarrassment of the German authorities having to find food and shelter
for something like 70,000 fresh mouths. Another trouble is the shameful
favoritism shown to wealthy and highly placed Anglo-Germans while their
humbler compatriots are interned without ado.
"Out of the petition of protest has grown what we have named 'the
anti-German League,' by which it is resolved that no member will employ
or sanction the employment of any German or alien enemy. Members will
further refuse to deal with any shops or establishments selling any
German or alien enemy goods. As the members of our committee are highly
influential people the movement should be effective and will continue
for several years. Further, no pains will be spared to improve the
usefulness of British hotel waiters and other hotel and restaurant
employees.
"If every British woman will realize that it is shameful and
treacherous to give financial help to the Germans there will be no
future need to protect the public from this alien peril, for the German
Empire will never be in a position to menace us again, for war cannot
be waged except by a commercially flourishing nation."
Lady Glanusk is a typical Englishwoman, full of energy, go and spirit.
She is tall and stately, with a beautiful complexion. She received the
American correspondent cordially and with a friendly grasp of the hand.
During the interview Mr. Joynson-Hicks, Member of Parliament, and just
recently appointed Chairman of the Unionist Parliamentary Committee
lately formed to inquire into this alien enemy question, was present,
as was also Lord Euston, heir to the Dukedom of Grafton.