Now, just how is this “reaching” done? Mainly, I think it safe to say, by blackmail and intimidation. If from this accumulated gossip about his intended victim—who may be an army or naval officer, a manufacturer of military supplies, or a government clerk—the spy learns of some indiscretion committed by the man or his wife, he uses it as a club in obtaining information that he desires. Or he may hear that a man is in financial straits. He will make a point of seeing that his victim is helped, and then will make use of the latter’s friendship to worm facts out of him. In this way, sometimes without the suspicion of the victim being aroused, little bits of information are secured, which may be of no importance in themselves, but are of immense value when considered in conjunction with facts acquired elsewhere. Ultimately the victim will balk or become suspicious. Then he is offered the alternative of continuing to supply information or of being exposed for his previous activities. Generally he accepts the lesser evil. In this manner the spy system is built up even in peace times. The tremendous sums of money that are spent in this manner amount to millions. The quantity of information secured is on the other hand, inconceivably small for the most part. But in the mass of useless and superfluous facts that are supplied to the spies and through them to the government, are to be found a few that are worth the cost of the system. By the time war breaks out, if it does, the German Government has in its possession innumerable facts about the equipment of the army and navy of its enemy—and more important still, it has in its power men, sometimes high in the confidence of the enemy government, who can be forced into giving additional information when needed. Now, the moment that war breaks out, what happens? The German Government has distributed throughout the country thousands of men and women who have legitimate business there; it has its hands on men who are not spies, but who will betray secrets for a price either in money or security; it is acquainted with the strength and weakness of fortresses, various units of the service, the exact armament of every ship in the navy, the resources of munition factories—in a word almost all of the essential details about that country’s fighting and economic strength. It also knows what portion of the populace are inclined to be disaffected. And it is thoroughly familiar with the strategical points of that country, so that in case of invasion it may strike hard and effectively. What is must learn now is: First, what are the present military and naval activities of the enemy. Second, what are they planning to do. Finally, the German Government must learn the how, why, when and where of each of these things. That, with the machinery at its command, is not so difficult as it would seem.