New Britain herald., 1917-02-02
SYMPATHIZERS 0E
 GERMANY WATCHED
Many Being Kept Under SurVeil.
 lance in New York

l New York, Feb. 2.-The govern
 ment has lists containing the names
 of about 5000 German-Am orleans
 and other strong syinpathizers with I the German cause in this city who 1 would be under close surveillance in the event of war between this coun try and Germany The work of gathering these names began when the German propaganda to win SUD- port In this country for the Father
 land and it's allies was at it's heisht. OHclals of the department of justice
 and of the treasury department were concerned in the task of rounding up ] those who were the most vociferous Tn their denunciations of President wilson and who were actively con- cerhed in arranging meetings where
 the speeches were confined to es-
 pousals of the German cause and to general condemnati ton of all those sympathies fay in other directions.
 Besides gathering the names of the most active of the German propagan
 dists, the government was interested In finding the places where these per- sons might ii they desired to act in secret or where considerable num-
 oers of them were most likely to gather to arrange for belligerent ac- ton. It was said yesterday by an important official of the government that at least five of these places were discovered in this city and that there after they were closely watched until after the noisy German clamor had subsided.
 More Than 5OO,OOO in New York.
 Incidental to the work of gather ing the names of men suspected of oelng leaders among the most mili- tah1 or the Germans in this city, and nndlng out few of their favorite meeting places, the government also maae 1t a point to discover just how mary German-Am ericans were in town. What the precise figures were could not be learned, but it was said thar they ranged between 60O,OOO and 8OO,O 900. It was admitted that the conditions had changed slightly since the work of getting these names was finished, and that many of those who were the most violent in their at tacl,s on the president and on all neu- trals had become more composed and had withdrawn from the circles that recommended strong pro-German measures.
 The work of getting names, ad- dresses, and data of the violent Ger. man sympathizers extended at one time throughout New York Connect icut, Massachusetts,, New Jersey and Rhode Island, but the hotbed of this area, 1t was learned, was in this city. An official who had taken part in tho investigations carried on at that time declined yesterday to permit the use of his name in any connection with the telling of the work or of it's re- suits. He explained that as long as an open break did not occur 1t was the duty of every good American. and especially of public officials, to aid the president in his efforts to preserve peace.
 No Riotine Feared.
 "It would be unfair" he sa,d "to make any of the names public. be- cause some of the men whose rames are on the list have changed their minds about 9 lot of things cornect- ed with the war and the others are not entitled to any advanced notice that they would be under espionage in case Of trouble between this country and Germany. At the time when many persons were saying that this country was totally unprepared we were pre- pairing and in this section we are in such good condition that no upris- ing would get much headway. Of course we don't think anybody would try rioting or anything of that sort. But if anything of that kind was at tempted we would know where to seek to get at the root of the trouble.
 "Jf declaration of war should be followed by disorder beyond the pow CT of the local authorities to control" he said, "nartial law would doubtless be proclaimed, and then the United States marshals of the various dis tricts would be in command. Soldiers would be called upon to keep tho peace"
 In number Of instances in the per lod when the government was round- ing up the men suspected of being able and anxious to cause trouble of 1 fcials visited the homes of several of them and went carefully through their rooms, examining every place that | might hide something that would re- veal plots or schemes. It was said yes- terday that these investigations had we'll repaid the labor and cost of them.
 "We are very we'll prepared" said the official, "and I think many citi- zens would be surprised to know just exactly how thoroughly we would cope l with any persons threatening the ] peace, property. or lives of the law | abiding people,