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Show MORE TREACHERY. The customs service has discovered that German spies and sympathizers in this country have been in communication communica-tion with the imperial government at Berlin through the medium of Swedish and Norwegian sailors who carried letters let-ters written in invisible ink and others in which a secret code was used. The discovery is not at all surprising, but some wonder will be expressed that suspicion was not aroused months ago and that traps were not set for the miscreants mis-creants who have violated the neutrality neutral-ity laws and have placed themselves in jeopardy. It should go hard with such of these men as are caught and convicted. con-victed. Germany has made dupes and tools of neutrals all over the world ever since the war began," from the president presi-dent of Argentina down to the lowest member of the I. W. W. in the United States, and we are frequejy amazed and startled at the depth t& their duplicity du-plicity and cunning. The kaiser's diplomatic corps was organized along the same lines as his army, and every preparation was made for the long-. long-. contemplated conflict which is now devastating Europe and bringing sorrow sor-row and woe to all civilized countries. The United States was honeycombed with spies and conspirators long before the invasion of Belgium, and nothing was left undone that would tend to involve us in trouble. With Ambassadors von Bernstorf f and Pumba at the head, working through Boy -Ed and other attaches, many crimes were perpetrated and many others prevcuted by timely discoveries. dis-coveries. The conspiracies have continued con-tinued siiu'c we entered the war, although al-though all the German diplomats and other officials, save those accused of crime, have been sent home. Some of these worthies have been sent to prison and the internment camps are crowded with pro-Germans and other traitors. But new plots and conspiracies conspira-cies are being brought to light nearly every day, and federal, state and municipal muni-cipal aut horit ies should be on watch night and day to prevent loss of life and damage to property at the hands of the conspirators. The danger from s-.H'h i-oup-es will incrcao rather than diminish as we become more and more aetive during the war. (inly the other dav the n a !Jion of the governor of ' 'aLi'nriiia at Sa- ramo-nto wa dy.ia- J a.ied. M"n mi - e-tod of this dastard- j iy .-riine are in rswtody. two of them having a sou:- box full of explosives w hen ;i rreted. Jf tlie-c fellows are found guilty they will be severely puni.-hed. But their fate will not deter others f rum following in their footsteps and blow- j ir.g up munition plants, arsenals, factories fac-tories and bridges in order to assist the war lord of the central powers. In view of this faet, we do not believe the statutes arc strong enough. Punishment Pun-ishment that may fit such crimes in time of peace is not adequate when the country is engaged in war. The I state must protect the lives and prop- j erty of its citizens, and execution J should follow all attempts at dynamiting dynamit-ing or kindred crimes. In such cases the men who attempt to destroy human lives arc just as bad as those who suc-! suc-! cced, and lio distinction should be made in the punishment meted out. The kaiser presumed upon the forbearance for-bearance of the government of the United States, and finally forced us to take up arms by exceeding the limits. lim-its. The traitors, spies and conspirators conspira-tors in our midst have likewise presumed pre-sumed upon our well known aversion to taking human life. They, too, have exceeded the limits, and it is high time to stamp them out of existence. When a man is caught with dynamite in his possession without a permit, the presumption pre-sumption is that he intends to commit a crime and he should be dealt with accordingly. The neutral sailors who carry messages should likewise receive their just deserts. |