The army behind the armyPowell, E. Alexander (Edward Alexander)
History
The army behind the army
Powell, E. Alexander (Edward Alexander)
United States. Army; World War, 1914-1918 -- United States
Some curious schemes were perfected by German agents in the United States
to convey messages to Germany in spite of the censorship. A set of
films depicting cannibal life in the South Seas aroused the suspicions
of the censors because of the irregularity of the perforations and
because of certain mysterious numbers appearing along the edges. The
films were finally passed for export, but not until the perforations
and numbers had been trimmed off. On another occasion the censor seized
an advertising folder, issued by a famous New York department store,
which contained a photograph of an exceedingly good-looking young woman
wearing an embroidered blouse and a plaid skirt, such as the store was
offering for sale. The picture showed the young woman standing beside a
table, holding in one hand a volume which, upon close inspection, was
found to bear the peculiar title _The Laborer’s Catechism_. Some bright
mind in the Censorship Section deduced that this title was really the
key to a code message, and that the message itself was contained in
the embroidery on the blouse. The story, which appeared to have all
the elements of a first-class spy tale, was spoiled, however, by the
unromantic code experts of M I 8, who professed themselves unable to
find any message concealed in the embroidery. Both the department store
and the photographers who took the picture were entirely absolved of any
attempt to communicate with the enemy, and the young woman herself was
found in a hospital, desperately ill with influenza. When the agents of
the Department of Justice visited the hospital some time later for the
purpose of interrogating her, it was found that she had left for parts
unknown. Whether the message was embroidery or imaginary I do not pretend
to say. I merely repeat the story because it illustrates the extreme
caution exercised by the Censorship Section. Knowing the cunning of the
Teuton, it was taking no chances.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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