The daily Alaskan., 1917-05-12
EVERY ONE CAN HELP

Virtually the entire force Of the fed eral governments civilian employees, approximately JOOOOO men and wO- men engaged ln every branch of Serv- Ice, has been summoned tO aid the bu- reau of investigation and the secret service in the detection Of spies and the apprehension of persons engaged in plots, iDrrigucs or other activities against the interests oi the United States.
 In addition. the government has sought the active cooperation of the pou,e and detective forces of every town and city of consequence through out the country. Hundreds of letters requesting such co.e-er1ti0n have been mailed broadcast by tho department of justice, and replies ptedGtng unStinted aid are coming back in great numbers by telegraph aud mall.
 The largest single force the govern mcDt has enrolled iu its nation wide spy hunt. with ,h, possible exception Of the municipal police and detective forces, is the army of rOstmasters. all Of whom have been instructed to per init no clew as Co the identity of sus- pecred individuals and their activities to 50 unreported. Under tue pOstmas- tcrs are working tue letter carriers in the cities and ;Lc rural free delivery carriers in the country. a force all told Of about 3OOOOO men.
 Instructions to tue federal employees call for the prompt reporting to desig- mated authorities of all information, no matter how minor 1t appears, which might seem to furnish Cicws in ferret ing out agents of foreign governments. Under this head come letters passing through the uails, tc,cgrams and even overheard scraps Of conversation Indi- eating activity against the government.
 Such information will be promptly forwarded to the proper Investigating body at Washington, tue name Of the informant held secret aud un inquiry quietly begun whenever, lu the opinion Of officials intruSted with such work, investigation is warranted
 Although no request for cooperation has been addressed to the general pub hc, officials welcome and hold in strict est confidence cooperation Cn the part Of all private citizens looking to the prevention of activities harmful to the national interest A number of private citizens, impelled by patriotic motives, already have furnished much valuable information of this character. it was said, and have aided materially in the work of the two bureaus heretofore en- gagged in enforcing the maintenance of American neutrality. Officials want to encourage citizens to communicate such information through United States attorneys or direct to the de partment of justice.
 In calling upon its civilian employees to aid in the work of the bureau of tn- Yestlgation the government will rely chiefly upon the field force of all its varied activities, men whose daily work bring them in constant touch with the public. ThIs includes, in addition to postmasters and letter carriers, the held forces of the department of the in- terior. the Federal Trade Commission, the department of agriculture, the h. tsrstate Commerce Commission, the in- ternal revenue and customs bureaus of ihe treasury department, department Of commerce workers and investigators and immigration and other officials of the department Of labor.