Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-06
HOW ENEMY AGENTS
HAVE BEEN CAUGHT
Attorney General Gregory Sub
mits His Annual Report
to Public.
DISLOYALTY is SUPPRESSED
Many Draft Slackers Were Ap-
pretended and Explosions
Were Prevented.
fBy Associated Press.l

mans interned, explosions and other
sabotage prevented and enemy secrets
ferreted out for use against their
armies abroad was given to the pub
lie to-day in Attorney General T. w
Gregorys annual report. Through a
great corps of Department of Justice
civil officers, secret agents and citizen
volunteers. this big job of policing has
been accomplished said the Attorney
General. with a minimum disturbance
TO the normal life of communities. and
with constant effort 10 avoid encroach-
ing on freedom Of speech action and
political criticism.
Referring 10 enforcement of the
espionage act, Mr.. Gregory said:
This department throughout the
war has proceeded upon the general
or free speech. free assembly and pc
tition exist in war time as In peace
time, and that the right of discussion
OF sovernmeh,al policy and the right
OIL political agitation are the most fun
damen,al rights in a democracy
At the same time, the Attorney
tried TO deal severely with propaganda
having for a deliberate purpose the
disintegration Of the country's war
One OF the distinc; achievements of
me American people, he said. has
been the maintenance Of order, the
ties and. speaking broadly, the gen
eral self-control and self-restraint eX-
ical situations"
The AttorneyGcneral disclosed that
only 5000 enemy aliens have been ar
rested on presidential warrants and en-
amlned with View TO internment, and
that "a considerable number" of these
nave been placed in internment camps
aamihistessd a,and by the army. The balance
were German men. and there were com
para,.ively few German women or Aus
mans have been registered in the ..a-
tion- wide census-26o.o0o men and
10000 women.
Justice investigators had rounded up
23.t3s young men who sought to. es-
cape the draft, and had caused their
induction into the service. More than
100000 cases OF men who for some
reason. Or other had failed to file ques-
tionnaies or to appear for physical ex-
animation were Investigated.
ASKS SEVERAL REFORMS
IN JUDICIAL PROCESSES
Looking forward to peace conditions,
tne Attorney-General makes num-
Der OF Recommendations for reform OF
ferred 10 the difficulty OF pushing anti
trust prosecution during the war. since
the government itself has been in the
. business OF suDpressing competitor, he
made no suggestions for new antitrust
legislation which Congress Is expected
War activities claimed the -princi-
pa portions OF the report, and after
referring to the growth of the de-
partment,s secre, service to six times
Its size In 1916, and the efficient or
ganization OF the American Protective
League of ESQ. 900 citizen volunteers. Mr..
Gregory said:
1t is safe TO say that never in its
history has this country been so thor
ouea.y policed rs at the present time
When 1t becomes possible. through
rf 10 I'll
activities of these various secret ser
vices. their work will stand out as one
OF the substantial achievements of the
war"
Hints of an American espionage sys-
TEN were given in the statement that
the secret services have given pro-
lation. but TO the armed forces, and
some of their activities have also re-
suited in direct damage to the enemy
forces abroad"
cheney of normal civil processes "and
the needlessness of attempting to in
woke the use of military tribunals in
1t has been the view of the depart
ment.' the Attorney-General said.
that every act of arbitrary and un-
habits and occupation of the citizen
would lessen efficiency. disturb order
and weaken public confidence in the
American standards OF Justice"
He added that he had emphasized
this view on other government deuart
ments. resulting "on number OF oc-
casions in preventing encroachments
bunals of the country
This was considered significant in
view Of the United States ability to
dinary government machinery to a
much greater extent than other bel
ligerents
INTERNMENT POLICY HAS
BEEN MORE LENIENT
The governments internment policy
also has been more lenient than those
of England and France, the Attorney
General stated. and the efficacy of the
methods and principles arc evidenced
by the good order generally main
tanned.
Systematic disloyal propaganda be-
SANE ca ,he failure ho dsrGe !ss first
our entry. into the war this propag ganda.
supported chiefly by those influence,
and organizations which had opposed
itself in distinct opposition to the adop-
tion and operation Of the selective
service act. but this type OF propa-
pressed and destroyed. 1t was followed
by manifestations of propaganda of an
economic and social character, clearly
SIPporssd rte in the main by sympath,sers
type of propaganda reached it's height
In the autumn of 1917 put gained no
great headWay and was declining by
January ]. 1918. Various other types
Of propaganda have appeared sporadic
ally. but none of them have gained
any. substantial footing. and 1t may
be fairly said that prior to July !, 1915.
the effort of German sympathizers in
the field OF disloyal propaganda hau
almost completely failed"
The department. has been hampered
In suppressing propaganda, said the
Attorney General. by. .."self-appointed
committees or associations OF citizens
who, ignorant of or dissatisfied with
the scope OF the Federal laws, or 5uris-
distion. have sought to supplement-
them by extra-legal measures OF in
tlmidation and punishment" Another
lhampering influence was the dissemina.
ton OF hundreds OF unfounded reports
relating to use OF poison gas by enemy
age to Red Cross supplies. B ~
Referring TO diiicultI n eewith the
mAmbers OF. the 4. w. w 3. ..pseudo- So.
Cont ttpaed pn Second Page.) S,