Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-12-05

how enemy agents have been caught.
disloyalty suppressed, draft slackers
apprehended, dangerous Germans in
termed, explosions and other sabotage
prevented, and enemy secrets {erret-
ed out for use against their armies
day in Attorney General T. w. Greg
ory's annual report. Through q
great corps OF department Of Justice
civil officers, secret agents. and .citi-
zen volunteers, this big job Of police
ing has been accomplished, said the
attorney general. with a minimum
disturbance to the normal life Of COM
munities. andsswith constant. effort to
avoid e~ncroaching on freedom Of
Referring to enforcement Of the
espionage act. Mr.. Gregory said:
This department throughout the
war has proceeded upon the general
principle that the constitutional right
of free speech, free assembly, and pc
tition exist in war time as in peace
time, and that the right Of discus
sion Of governmental policy and the
right Of political agitation are the
most fundamental rights in a ,democ-
racy." ~, &@
At the same time, the Attorney
General explained, the department
"a IIlCu W OcdI oCSCLCly Will pIOP"
uganda having for a deliberate pur-
pose the disintegration of the coun-
try's war strength.
lone Of the distinct achievements
Of 2:the American people, he. said,
has been the maintenance Of order,
the comparative failure Of enemy ac-
tivitie1 and, speaking broadly, the
general s~elf-control and self<restraint
exhibited throughout the country in
critical situations" 4,
The attorney general disclosed that
only 5000 enemy aliens have been
arrested on presidential warrants and
examined with a view to intefnment
and that "a considerable number" of
these have been placed in i~nternrnent
camps administered by the army.
The balance were paroled. Most enc
mics informed were German men, and
there were comparatively few Gre
About 100000 Germans have been
registered in the nationwide census
300, 900 men and 100000 women.
Up to last July !, department of
justice investigators had rounded up
23,439 young men who sought to es-
cape the draft, and had caused their
induction into the service. More than
100000 cases of men. for some rea-
son or other had failed to file ques-
vi. w oPpSoA ~ pAAJ
examination were investigated.
Looking forward to peace condi-
tons. the attorney general makes a
number of recommendations for re-
form Of judicial processes. Although
he referred to the difficulty of push
ing antitrust prosecutions during
the war since the government itself
has been in the business Of suppress
ing competition, he made no sugges-
tions for new antitrust legislation
which congress Is expected to under
take soon.
War activities claimed the princi-
pal portions Of the report, and after
referring to the growth Of the depart
ment's secret service to six times Its
size in 1916. and h efficient organ
ization Of the American Protective
Mr.. Gregory said
ut is safe to say that never in its
history has this country been so
thoroughly policed as at the present
time. .
when it becomes possible.
through the lapse Of time, to disclose
fully the activities of these various
secret service agencies. their work
will stand out as one Of the substan-
Hints Of an American espionage
system were given in the statement
that the secret service have given
protection not only to the civilian
population but to the armed forces,
and some Of their activities have also
resulted in direct damage to the en-
envy forces abroad"
Great stress was laid oil the Ell
cheney Of normal civil processes land
the needlessness Of attempting to In
woke the use Of military tribunals In
this country"
ut has been the view Of the de.
partment," the attorney general said,
that. every; act Of arbitrary and ln-
necessary interference with the life,
habits, and occupation Of the citizen,
would lessen eficiency, disturb order,
and weaken public confidence inTthe
American standards Of Justice"
He added that he had emphasized
this view on other government de.
partments. resulting ION . number OF
occasions in preventing encroach-
rnents upon the Jurisdiction OF the
civil tribunals Of the country" !
This was considered significant In
view Of the United States ability ia
maintain tho normal functions Of or.
binary government machinery to .
much greater extent than other bel
llieerents.
The governments tnternment pol
icy also has been more fentsnt than
those OF England and France. the
attorney general stated, and the, On
cheney Of the methods and principles