East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-03-08
REAL SPIES AND IMAGINARY ONES AND HOW THEY WERE
Hysteria and Actualities Had To
BE Sifted Apart in the Work !
of Protecting America.

partment showed that disloyai utterances ana
activities were quite common among ma
turalized citizens among allen enemies
mo anti-draft propaganda had the slightese
chance of success After the Draft act went
into active operation the power OF Inc SO
called German propaganda rapidly declined
and within six months lost all degree OF ef-
fectiveness. Secret Service reports demons
strate this beyond doubt ana also show how
impossible II was after the first six months
OF our participation in the war for tho enemy
governments to accomplish anything here In
a large way through the operations OF spies
or secret agents. The operation OF this selec-
tive Draft statute cleansed. clarified ana uni-
fled public opinion In support of the war ana
had the continuing effect of minimizing In tho
popular mind the effect OF all interferences
with civil rights and civil liberty.
B.., seere, Service. RI.
at Is at present probematical how much In
reference with civil liberties of individuals
resulted from the operations OF the American
Secret Service. The largest division of this
service was that organized by the Department
OF Justice. having an auxiliary the Amer
lean Protective League, with membership
scattered throughout the country. All ougn
the remar arkable work of the latter organization
is worthy OF the highest praise both .ac At
torney General and the writer are strongly
opposed to any system Of citizen espionage in
peace time and the organization above mem
toned is already in the process of dissolution.
at Is not premature to say that the work OF
the American Secret Service extraordi-
narly efficient. and competent foreign OBJ
server is probably correct In saying that this
country had during the war unQuestonably
q more efficient and better organized Secret
Service than any other nation In the world.
But service organized In this manner
manifestly included large membership OF
persons not familiar with crime and varyins
widely in individual capabilities and Judgment.
This characteristics was true not only OF the
service mentioned but also In measure Of
the membership OF the military and naval in,
telligence forces both of which were remark.
ably well officered and lntelligeptly managed.
las Ia mn
these services but IN the patriotic zeal OF mary
of these subordnates In the field. At timea
they made mistakes which could not be con-
doned, as. for instance. on the occasion OF ira
Stacker canvass at New York CITY, where the
methods employed were In contravention %
specific Instructions OF the Attorney General.
But in this field again citizens everywhers
seemed to understand the object OF these ac.
tiyities and good-nnturedly submitted TO aE
sorts OF inquiries about their business and pri.
Vate affairs II Is probable that when the fuW
history of this side OF government activity
can he made public the Individual cases come
planned Of VIII prove to be cases OF annoyancs
rather than OF actual wrong done the indlvid-
uaL Organized espionage on large scale s
al variance with theories OF government
and as have said. except as a war necessity.
was not favored by the Department OF Justice.
"Althoush the Attorney General. so far az
was possible. employed his powers 10 secure
the protection OF civil liberties, nearly all
cases where outrages were committed against
indiyidusIs lay outside the scope OF federal
Jurisdiction. During the various Llbory Loan
drives the campaign for war charities and the
loyalty drives many complaints OF tlltreat-
ment and coercion were received by the At
torney General from people against whom as
sessInents had been levied by non-legai bodies.
vha fixed and collected subscription quotas.
considering the extent OF the country and
the extremely patriotic temper Of the people.
1t Is perhaps remarkable that great inlustcs
was not done. Nevertheless. some OF the In
stances reported, Isolated as they were. were
eases OF outrageous wrong for which no RELIEF
could be afforded by the federal government