Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24
How Alien EnemesAre Rubber Stamped and Then Sent to Jail

wise the government, which has other
verrnin to scrutinize and apprehend.
The situation before America entered
the war was bad. After arms were
taken up. conditions here grew worse
Then the secret agencies of the govern
ment began their hardest work. The
Treasury, the Post Office, the State De-
partment, the Department of Justice
the Department of Agriculture, the In
terror Department, the Army and the
Navy sent their investigators and intel
ligence officers into the field. The post
master of every city or village became
detective. Constables, policemen and
town mashals joined in the mysterious
and ceaseleSs chase.
Treason lost much Of it's glamour
Besides. it did not pay, and that fact, to
a Hun, outweighs all other facts, kul-
tural or sentimental Little by little
conditions grew better. A big-mouthed
man. to use a favorite Teutonic word
of description. would be missing: over
night. probably. 1t would be whis-
pered among other big-mouthed men
his neiShbors, that he had been kid
mapped by the government.
Then. presently. President Wilson
answered the Pope's peace communica-
ton. America wants no new territory
key-sentence of his letter. Mr.. OBrian
believes that Mr.. Wilson's reply to
the Natican-and Mr.. O'Brian, notwith-
standing his name. is IN Episcopalan--
was immeasurably influential in prov
ing to the world and the Huns in this
country the real unselfishness and the
high-minded purpose of America
The drafts also have tended to ST.
lence if not to cement the nation.
There is hardly a man or a woman in
Tr
the writer. who has not a relative I'M
der the American colors, either as a
volunteer or a conscripted soldier That
is SOLDERING fact and has helped
The law under which enemy and
dangerous aliens are being imprisoned
is one OF the Oldest in the book of
statutes. Historically. it is one of the
dramatic. Its roots run back to Ed
mond Charles Genet, the French prop
agandist. who caused George Washing
ton endless trouble and annoyance
Coming here from Paris. the French
man, even more impudent than Johann
Bernstprff. denounced the President
of the United States. issued commits
sions to privateers, employed seamen
administered oaths of allegiance. plan
ned warlike demonstrations against
Florida and Louisiana. then Spanish
colonies. and was guilty of many other
outrageous acts. and was dined and
cheered by a great body of Americans
many of them officeholders, who de-
manded that the United States should
become the ally of France in its war
with the English.
So there arose in this country a
French party and an anti-French party
After Genet's recall the United States
entered into a commercial treaty with
Great Britain. In retaliation. French
privateers captured or sank several
hundred American merchant vessels
American sailors were beaten, An
American captain was tortured -four
hours with thumbscrews. Revolution
lists then governed France.
John Adams. coming to the presidency
attempted to settle the difficulty. He
sent commissioners to Paris, who were
told that peace could be purchased with
money. 1t was then that Charles Cotes-
worth Pinckney. one of the commIs-
sioners. exclaimed. Millions for de-
Tense. but not cent for tribute
dispatch. written by John Marshall
another commissioner. and later Chief
Justice. told of Talleyrand's corrupt
proposal. 1t was received in PhiIadeI-
phia by President Adams on March a.
17sS. The following day Congress was
informed of the natter. Two weeks
later. Adams warned Congress to pre-
pare. for war.
During the civil war Secretary STAN
ton did not hesitate to apprehend, re-
strain and secure-that is, to thrust into
uralized or unnaturaIized, whom he
deemed dangerous to the Union cause.
Copyright, 1918. By James 3. Morrowl