The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-04-01
Espionage Offers in
Time Of Peace Turned
Down by Government:

WASHINGTON. March 31--rrivnt''
organizations offering to continue our
Ing pencc the espionage work undo
taken during tho war to nr"'"rt IN"
public safety were informed today u"
Attorney General Palmer TINT IN" &c
partmcnt OF justice would not rrr""Eni|''
thcm or har" any connection with 'o'''''
official or semi -ohtClnl.
"ESpionnRe conducted bE prlFotC IN
dtviduals or orFantzatlons.'' Mr. Palmer
said In announcing his decision. ~ On,
ttrely at variance with our theories %.
government. and It's operation In any
! community constitutes n gray" fnrn"'"
which in the chtcf force making for
good order.
Appreciation or the "rntrt"tir anil
high minded motives" nriu"iInH the "f-
rors Was Expressed by TIA" "it"'r"i E',"
erai The traditional p"il''H "r TIA" h'
pa whi"h ""ua"d ret u''i 81 "
inndrrrd nervI",a wnn cErlnln"d Ia ih'
following nlntrin"ut.
"Durln9 til" part NV" n"'niha my lie
| In mont has rn' olv"l ""tn""""h "'l'"'7
truul IL nuuIhnr "r lri"ni" Organizations
| calling nttouil"n l" ia" r"'.' 'iH' 'h"T
hnro boon formed f'm III" uiIrr""" IT II
| systematically h"l""tlnE rI"ln'h""" "'
law AMI r"urI c"ualy "norlnE !" 1ihrtF
tho department "f lunli"" With INFORM
atI"u nr thiu character gathered hr
thoul.
~ will Il" lrnp"sEIhl" Tor my depart
rnent TO hnro my connection. "ti'lnl. or
EnrII-rNlrlnl. WIN IIlFt'N ''TBNIi'' ~ f''".
! This department Welcomes NJ MI times
information Witch ia german" To IL
! work from whatever s"urc" II ran
come Il hns bosu Inc traditional poll
Cy Of this department. however. Er"unh-
| I'd on sound rrasOns NOT IN C"i'''H I'H
sanction upon private nrElidZhl IONS. ma
! not TO establish with them my relations
OF an official nr Scmi-ortclal character
"rhc only execution t" this '"nE oS-
tnhllshcd policy. If It Gun hc n Tod an
exception. was the formation during thr
! war Of tho American ir"t"ctIvc league:
which was organized with the aprr"EA,
Of the attorney general ana onrrAl,''
under the direct supervision or th'
bureau Of investigation Of this depart
mrnt During the war there wn" nccd
FOR such nh organization hlNlIlarE t'
this department and th" members OF th'
American l'rntc"tiv" l"hGu" rendered
service Of tn" grchtrst value. Never
thrlcSS. my predecessor, Attorney Zen
erai Gregory. requested that this organ
iZulinn h.. dishnndrh and. IN c"nr"rn'-
,ucr To his wishes. IT. went out ar eK
lstrncr on February list. |, wnA his
view in which ! heartily concur. thht
nn organization "r Ihls TYPE hh",li" r.
rrI... official recognition from lhlH ne
rnrtuiruI Iu llI"'s al peace.
"f.-piunhEr conducted by rri"ai" In
.llNLIuaIs a. nrEnuI Il"ns In entirely at
, .aIIuIr.r with "ui ih'"rl"a "I COVER"
rn"ui ntt lta operation In any '""di'.''
Nv ..nusIlIuiGr IA grave in'I,"i" !" tiht
feeling IL i,,ii,ii" c"nndn,"e ~hl'h Ia ih'
| ,hlrf f.n.t mr"hinE f"i III" I""Ini "not"'
ar pnI,d .Inrt. H'uiI h"Iin"ru. 'nI iGll"
| il.n, u ma. H.. ',i,rI''ir 4" "v"'r'."" 'h"'
r., n p,vur,,nuni "rom.Y !" '""ini"i'
.,v r,I,I luuahIr wi,nIovrt With private
l.,lIrr enror'l IL IhIn w"th would I'
Ihr md Trn,Il, In lupnlrlnP ih" """il
hcnre .r III" I,uhII" la IN" hial"'"r"n'''I
a,ul l,rr'nr,ioIlly az g"v"'n'""nl '"V"n
iirnIl""a.
II fully rcnIiroh tho pnfr,"i1" md
' hIph ,nirutCd Inutiv"G With which lhr"r
denominations hn,r h""u formed nn1
which hnyr nnInlnirl ihnm In unkinE
| ,,,rrrr, nr usrietanro to thiu depart
,ncnt but ! mn r0nEi rnln"d ~ M
| rrnukIy TINT I rcnr tn" work or thngC
private organizations uinE produce hnrr'',
fu rcallta J. therefore. feel compelled
m instruct to the various utTiClnlT 81
this department not To cntcr Into rein
! tionship with them.