The Dermott news., 1918-07-18
From Congressman Goodwin
House of Representatives u. S.
Washington, ID. c.

Washington, ID. 4.
July 10. 1918.
My dear Mr.. Warfield:
Since receiving your letter with fur
Their reference to the employment by
the S%unnyside company of informed
enemy aliens | have discussed the mat
ter with the Department. of Justice and
the Department has at my instance in
stituted an investigation through the
office of the District Attorney of that
district and is expecting a special re-
port on that situation now daily.
In my opinion you take An entirely
reasonable attitude and as the respon-
sible head of the levee organization it
is quite proper for you to anticipate
and point out any condition or circum-
stance liable to affect adversely the
levee system of that section. ! am
sure the Department of Justice feels
the same way toward the phase of the
matter raised by you and will go very
thoroughly into it on the ground.
The Government has, and wisely |
believe, fostered and encouraged the
feeling of distrust and suspicion Of the
Hun and public opinion has responded
and believes they are capable of any
manner of deviltry that can be con-
ceived. l have witnessed enough to
convince me that at least some of them
will stoop to anything mean and under
handed This has resulted naturally in
our readily CHASING all in one lump and
neglecting to d~ifferentiate in individ-
ual cases.
Mr.. Crosby of the Department states
that the idea that these Germans are
high-brows is n AZ they are ig-
norant sailor or common peasant un-
educated class, trained and usually
obedient to dicipline and are not prison
ers of war but restrained civilians of
the enemy country who were informed
here before We became involved. 1t is
the policy of the Government to give
as good treatment possible consistent
with public safety to those of this class
to be in position to demand the same
treatment of American civilians in
termed in Germany. We have under
restraint here nearly ten times as many
civilians of Germany as she has of ours
and we will. of course. retaliate for any
mistreatment of our people in their
hands.
Since early last fall the Department
on account of the crowded conditions at
Ellis Island and the other detention
points has been culling out deserving
cases and offering them opportunity
for parole, They have been sent sing
ly. in pairs, and in groups about over
the country as soo as the Department
satisfied itself about them and found
places for them. Up until today none
of the men sent out have given any
trouble and but few have violated their
paroles by failing to do whatever was
required of them. Some few of the
younger ones have gotten drunk or
stray ed out of bounds or minor things
like that. all being soon returned to
their station and severely penalized for
neglect to observe the rules, Now this
is what the Department record shows
thus far but | don't mean by that that
the Department is in any sense guaran-
teeing that the record will continue as
good right along.
Our government has arranged a con-
ference to be held at Berne. Switzer-
land. in the next fewd days at which the
whole question of exchange of prison.
ers of war, internment of civilians and
their treatment will be taken up with
to representatives of the German gov
eminent and it may result in the adop-
ton of a very different policy by this
government, one that will be deter
mined by what is being done with our
people over there. 1t may result in
placing all these informed aliens to
work on the public roads or on other
government work.
Just as soon as the Department re-
ceives its special report will write
you further and ask that appropriate
action be taken.
With best wishes and personal re-
CARDS. | am
Very sincerely yours.
w. S. Goodwin.