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Show Extensive Traffic in Written Messages in Invisible Ink. MANY ARE WATCHED Well Organized Scheme in Operation Since U. S. Entered War. WASHINGTON, Dec. 22. An extensive exten-sive traffic in written communications to" Germany, Austria and the northern European neutrals involving use of invisible in-visible ink and code system, has been discovered and stopped by customs' officials within the last few weeks, treasury officials disclosed today. The traffic, it was disclosed, was carried on largely by Swedish ship and marine men. Scores Under Surveillance. Scores of persons now are under surveillance and a number of arrests probably will be made soon. Evidence that the channel of communications has been open ever since the United States entered, the war has been uncovered un-covered and officials suspect that much of the information which the German Government is known to have received concerning Avar preparations in Amer-. ica has been transmitted under a weli organized scheme directed by subjects of neutral countries assisted by some Americans, r r Tw.enty per cent of the letters written writ-ten in the United, States, or on shipboard ship-board and heretofore sent to Europe by messenger, or by a member of the ship's crew have been found to bear messages In invisible ink or to contain I code or cryptic phrases suspected of holding hidden meaning. Discovered by Custom Officials. Tho discoveries wero made by cus-1 cus-1 torn officials "after promulgation, several sev-eral weeks ago, of regulations under ! the trading with the enemy act for-j for-j bidding transmission of communica-I communica-I tions to or from the United States ex-' ex-' cept through the regular courses of the mails or under license of customs' authorities au-thorities and the war trade board. When the rules were established, a strict system of inspection of ships, ' their crew and cargoes was begun and (he dangerous nature of many com-, com-, munications found on shipboard was immediately discovered. Before incoming ships were permitted permit-ted to dock, crows were mustered and their clothing and other personal ef-1 ef-1 fects examined carefully. Shore leave ,was given by special license and every precaution taken to insure against secret se-cret passage of letters from the vessel J to shore. i Sudden Action Taken. This action, taken suddenly without notice to the crews, caused the discov-lery discov-lery of many lotters which, heretofore, ' hnd been skillfully concealed. These were subjected to examination by , chemists and code experts and one in flvo was found suspicious. Most messages in invisible ink apparently ap-parently wero only personal communi-1 communi-1 cations from persons in the United Slates to friends or relatives in Ger-' Ger-' many "and although superficially they bore no evidence of carrying valuable information to the enemy, they were held up on the ground that they might be dangerous. Swedes and Norwegians Guilty. Government agents have gathered j evidence, that certain persons in this country, many of whom are Swedes or 'Norwegians, have conducted a money - making scheme of transmitting letters I to the northern European neutral countries or to Germany at high prices. By this means the British censorship in many cases was evaded. |