Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-02
FIND GERMAN PLOT
AS LAUDER SAID
.Tustice Department Con-
firms Unearthing of Guns
and Ammunition
INFORMATION WITHHELD
sy stdD Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2.

.,.ar,,,ot,on has been obtained from OFF,
:, tho Department Of Justice here OF
49,. statement by Harry Lauder, the Scotch
--,.sd,an. in an address to the Rotary
S,,h at philadelphia, that secret agents OF
~. dspartment had unearthed guns ana
,.r,0 quantities Of ammunition stored away
-, Germans, German agents and sympa-
60 IN several localities in the United
states. ,,-,-,-
pruce Bielasli, chief of the division OF
,-.aostjgation of the Justice Department,
Nv is directly in charge of tho secret
wiz. WV sa,d that since the United States
st.red the war against Germany CONSIDER
shie quantities of arms and ammunition had
a.nr found from time to time in dlnerent
VA widely scattered points, where they
s.o been deposited by persons suspected
ne he,ne unfriendly TO Americas war aims.
yn.,Sce Department officials are observing
1uaat secrecy in regard to these discoveries,
sowever. and decline to make known the
trte NJ which the war materials boarded
-, ,be Germans were found or divulge the
nones of those charged with the hostile
acts.
In this concern they are to certain ex-
tent pursuing the attitude maintained by
Jsrgland toward the U-boats captured and
dnstroved BY Withholding all details con-
oornng the fate of the submarines, 1t Is
asserted that the officers and crews engaged
IN operating the sea monsters are terrorized,
The withholding of information with re-
card to discoveries of arms and ammunition
Stored In secret places by German agents,
therefore. doubtlessly had been adopted by
The American Government for the purpose
Of terrorizing others who may be engaged
IN similar undertakings, it is explained.
EXTENT OF DISCOVERY UNKNOWN
whether the discoveries made by agents
of the Department of Justice have been
40 startling as those made in England at
the outbreak of the war, when concrete
Foundations modelled to hold German sfege
guns were found at several points of
strategic military Importance owned by
Germans the officials will not reveal.
In several instances many thousands or
rifles, large numbers of machine guns and
tens of thousands of cartridges were found
in houses and storage buildings in England
owned by German citizens, and 1t is re-
ga-ded as more than likely that discoveries
Of similar nature have been made in the
United States and the information Kept
from the general public.
There have been unmistakable signs
about the Justice and state Departments
In recent weeks that steadily and surely
the Government is tightening the coils
about alien and domestic enemies in this
country Several hundred German SYM
pathlzers have been served with notice &c
''be good" suffer the consequences, while
numerous German agents have been arrest
ed and sentenced or are awaiting sentence
Evidence must precede arrest and certain
information go before internment That is
10 say, the authorities have not yet decided
TO Russianize America to the extent OF
laying violent hands upon citizen or resi-
dents lacking presumption of fact warrant
Ing such action and likely to be sustained
In court. A man who is nabbed by Uncle
Sam now, either upon suspicion or charge
Of sedltion, is likely to stay nabbed.
A great deal of free speech" has beer
tolerated by the Government authorities
on the principles that III the war Canno
be talked about, we ought not 20 be in it,
Inquiry In authoritative quarters eliciteC
the statement today that, notwithstanding
this leniency, the Government is on guarC
and from now on will clap the heavy hant
OF the law on any individual who trans
crosses the law in terms or deed falling
under the purview of the statutes.
The Department of Justice has al
organization for watching the dsoyall!
inclined element, which is more far
reaching than the public knows. 1t is no
intended that the public should know all, 4
is explained. The department does no
announce policies" but does report results
attained in carrying them out.