The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-12-05

Washington, Dec, b-Tho story or how enemy agents have been caught, disloyalty suppressed, draft slackers apprehended, dangerous Germans in- termed, explosions and other sabotage prevented. and enemy secrets feYreted out for use against their armies abroad was given to the public today in Attorney General T. W. GreSorys annual report Through a great corps of Department of Justice civil ofn- cers, secret agents, and citizen volun- teers, this big job of policing has been accomplished, said the Attorney General, with a minimum disturbance to the normal life'o of communities, and with constant effort to avoid en- croaching on freedom of speech, ac- ton and political criticism
 Referring to enforcement of the espionage act, MT. Gregory said:
 This department throughout the war has proceeded upon the general principle that the constitutional right of free speech, free assembly, and pe- tit1on exist in war time as In peace time, and that the right of discussion of governmental policy and the right of political agitation are the most fundamental rights in a democracy" At the same time, the Attorney General explained, the department had tried to deal severely with propa- gandA having for a deliberate purpose the disintegration of the country s war strength
 "Ons Of the distinct achievements of the American people" he said, "has been the maintenance of order, the comparative failure of enemy ac- tivites and, speaking broadly, the general self-control and self-resraint exhibited throughout the country tn critical situations"
 The eAttorney-General disclosed that only 5000 enemy aliens have been ar rested on Presidential warrants and examined with a view to internment and that "a considerable number" o1 these have been placed in 1nternmen camps administered by the army. Int balance were paroled- Most enemie! interned were German men, and there were comparatively few German women or Austro-H -Hungarians- Abou 4So, 900 Germans have been registered in the nationwide census-260, 00( men and 220,00 women.
 Up to last July 1, Department O Justice investigators had rounded uI 23,439 young men who sought to es cape the draft, and had caused thei induction into the service. More thai 220000 cases of men who for som reason or other hal failed to fll questionnaires or to appear for phy sical examinations were investigated
 inc fng- oI~H fn tions, the Attorney-G General makes number of recommendations for re form of judicial processes. Althougl he referred to the difficulty of push ing antitrust prosecutions during tn war since the government itself ha been in the business of suppressin competition, he made no suggestion for new antitrust legislation whic Congress is expected to undertak soon-
 War activities claimed the princips portions of the report, and after re ferring to the growth of the depart ment's secret service to six times 1t size in 1916, and the efficient organi zation of the American Protectiv League of 250, 900 citizen volunteerl MT. Gregory said:
 'It Is safe to say that never in 1t history has this country been 50 thor oughly policed as at the present timt
 When 1t becomes possible, throug the lapse of time, 10 disclose fully tn activities of these various secret SCI vice, their work will stand out as or of the substantial achievements of tn war"
 Hints of an American espionage syl tenn were given in the statement tht the secret services ''have given pro tection not only to the civilian popy lation but to the armed forces, an some of their activities have also Tt suited in direct damage to the enem forces abroad"
 Great stress was laid on the suff ciency of normal civil processes "an the needlessness of attempting to II yoke the use of military tribunals this country"
 Tt has been the view of this d. partment," the Attorney General sai that every act of arbitrary and Ill necessary interference with the If habits and occupation of the citize would lessen efficiency disturb orde and weaken public confidence in u American standards of justice"
 He added that he had emphasiz, this view on other government d partments, resulting Ion a number occasions in preventing encroachmen upon the jurisdiction of the civil u bunals of the country"
 This was considered significant view of the United States ability maintain the normal functioning
 ordinary government machinery to much greater extent than other b lgerents.
 The governments internment poll also has been more lenient than tho of England and France, the Attorn General stated, and the efficacy of t methods and principles are evidenc by the good order generally ma tained.