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Mexico Has Spy Troubles, But
Will Soon Eliminate Them
( International News Service. — Exclusive )
MEXICO CITY, Tuesday.— Mexico has a vast population of
foreigners — Germans alone have increased from 6000 to
10,000 since the outbreak of war — and it is determined to:
end- fifth-column activities— by means of firing squads, if
necessary.
There is in Mexico a time-honored effective law which
a general in his discretion can invoke for trouble-makers. This
is "Ley Fuga"- — the law of flight.
YI7HEN a firing squad eliminates
a trouble-maker, the official re
port reads: "Shot while trying to
escape." And that is what will hap
pen to 100 or more German spies,
who infest Mexico, generals predict,
if Fifth Columnists take advantage
of the hospitality of the country and
undertake to inspire ' subversive
movements or sabotage economic
help which Mexico plans to give the
United States. The forceful Minis
ter of National Security (Senor
Miguel Aleman) waits only for Fifth
Columnists to show their hand.
It is also indicated that at an
early date there will be a round
up of known spies, and they will
be sent to concentration camps. .
Perote, Vera Cruz, is already tak
ing care of 1000 German and Italian
sailors. These were first given con
ditional liberty in the city of Guada
lajara, but they made themselves so
obnoxious to foreigners there, and es
pecially to the Americans and British,
that they were taken into custody
and sent to the prison at Perote.
Additional Prisons
If this inaccessible concentration
camp is not big enough to hold all
trouble-makers, the Government will
set aside other reservations. Before
1 the war got under way there were
6000 Germans in Mexico. Now there
are twice that number.
The newcomers include many
athletic men of military age. They
used to pose as commercial agents,
but, after a time, presented them
selves brazenly in public places and
went about their business spying
openly.
They infest popular restaurants like
locusts.
Three Governments watch them—
Mexican, American 'and British.
The spies appear to specialize in
gathering information, cultivating
Government officials, Army men and
diplomats for the purpose. -
Women are used for the more subtle
work. One stumbles on these beauti
ful creatures at all hours of the day
and night at Sanoorns, the Ritz ;
Lounge, Lady Baltimore's, - and
"1—2--3." - :
They have " many admirers, and ;
show a. marked preference for Gov-
eminent officials and military officers: !
But the most valuable information 1
thatr the Nazis- radio to: Germany I
are weather reports clipped from
Mexico City newspapers.
The papers faithfully cover the pre
vailing. weather in the republic and
thus supply the Nazis with impor
tant information about the weather
along the coast and even in southern
and south-eastern United States.
These activities are. directed by the
Gestapo's representative for Mexico,
one, Hans Hallerman.
Had Spanish Experience
This hard-boiled- spy operated in
Barcelona during the Spanish war.
He fiaureri nrominentlv in tho or-
ganisation of the Spanish Falange.
Recalled from Spain, he became the
chief of the Nationalist Socialist
Workers' 1 Party in Germany, and was
sent to Mexico early last summer.
Hallerman hooks up the Nazis
with the Falange in Mexico, and
through that widespread organisa
tion he plots to make trouble for
the United States.
The Falange in Mexico stands for
subversive movements,, sabotage, es
pionage, propaganda and infiltration.
It harps on the ancient, suspicious
prejudices of Mexicans, and empha
sises aid which Hitler gave Franco.
It plays on religious feelings, and
zealously recruits Catholics who think
that Hitlers' aid to Franco enabled
the Church to rehabilitate itself in
Spain.
The Falange operates wherever
there are Spaniards, and uses
Franco's followers as its instru
ments. One man's guess is as good
as another's, but in well-informed
circles it is believed that Falangists
in Mexico total from 50,000 to
100,000.
Before Hallerman there was
Friedrich von Schlebruge, Prussian
from his clipped poll to his imma
culate boots, who strutted about
Mexico City for a year or more be
fore somebody "tipped off" his
superiors he was in love with an
American woman.
Von Schlebruge . is reported to have
been chief of the Berlin Garrison.
He bore himself as if accustomed to
command, and had the coldest eye
of any foreigner in Mexico.
Secret servicemen of three countries
shadowed him. He operated away
from Mexico City, continually making
trips to Tampico,- Vera Cruz;- Guer--
navaca, and Acapulco.
.Once he made a mysterious journey
to Ciudad Carmen, Campeche. He
was surrounded all . the way by
sleuths, for whom 22 American Army
planes were scheduled.
Von Schlebruge's activities took him
to Tampico frequently. He was there
.- one afternoon when the Hotel Im
perial filled up with Germans from
various parts of Mexico, and there
was much drinking. All of these tour
ists seemed to be happy about some
thing. Presently they boarded launches
and put to sea. They were out for
three or four hours — ostensibly fishing
—but they returned without fish.
A day or two later the newsy
Tampico waterfront reported that a
German submarine had been seen
off the coast, that it had put in at
.-the obscure harbor of Tamaulipas
to get a cargo of mercury. '
One; day last autumn Von Schle
bruge slipped off to Manzariillo and
took passage on a Japanese steamer.
Of all Nazi women agents in- the i
Mexican picture . the most beautiful"
and intriguing is Hilda Kruge. .Blonde,
tall, willowy, she fills the eye. She
was once in the German movies; her
dossier sets forth, and she looks the
part. Her name is linked with that
of a minor Government official, who
is reported to- share- her with an aris
tocrat from Guadalajara and a bull
fighter.
Bavarian Brunette
By way of racial contrast, there is
also Elizabeth Pitts Kif a, stunning
brunette from Bavaria. She lives at
Paseo de la Reforma — No. 27. When
Elizabeth drops in at the Ritz lounge
of "12 — 3" everybody stares ' and
tongues wag. She is known to have
admirers high ud in political circles
and is believed to possess many, offi
cial secrets. . , ...
It was a - great setback for Nazi
activities in. Mexico when the Gov- -
ernment closed the office of "Trans-
ocean" and ordered its chief, Kurt
Benoit, and his staff to accompany
the German . ex-Minister to White
Sulphur Springs.
"Transocean" was receiving and
distributing between 4000 ;and 5000
words daily. It was blatant propa
ganda, of course, but it got by and
was relayed, playing -a big part in
spreading totalitarian ideals all over
Mexico. -
Benoit gave the service free".
All Germans in Mexico -contribute,
to the cost of Nazi espionage -pro
paganda. .They . must., give .or take
the consequences. The Gestapo -knows
what to do: with them or their: rela--
tives if they show reluctance or un
willingness.
bR. EZEQU1EL PADILLA, Mexico's Foreign Minister and the virtual leader of the country. Help
bR. EZEQU1EL PADILLA,
Mexico's Foreign Minister and
the virtual leader of the country.
$