The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1920-05-21
The Private Detective : what he does and how

revealing in part the inqui-
tious system of spying that
has been built up in America
by private agencies.
"Now, my dear Mr.. President, this
condition has been spread by private
detectives to the four corners of our
continent, and those who operate in
the open are taken for men from the
department of justice. In fact. they
advertise themselves as such. If time
is not taken by the forelock and pri-
vate detectives agencies wiped out,
as ex.President Roosevelt suggested,
their foul tactics will result in open
revolution.
"This is the only nation in the
world that tolerates such special prl-
vileges. In London they would be ar
rested and thrown in Jail for imper-
sonating an officer. Compare the Lon
don strike. I quote from Lord North
cliffe, London Times, October Z, 1919:
"'There are just one or two facts
would like my American friends to
realize about what has been the
greatest strike in the history of or
ganized labor. This strike on the side
of the railway men and of the govern
ment as regards methods of meeting IT'S
difficulties was so well organized that
not one life was lost. not one person
was hit by bullet, and there was
not as much roughness in the streets
as there is on public holiday in a
great city.
"Ten years ago, when 7 acquired
control of the London Times, this
ancient institution was known as an
open shop 1t had never allowed trade
unionism. expressed my urgent wish
to the mechanical staff that they
should become members of the various
labor unions. There are now men,
bers of Is different unions working in
this and every newspaper office in
Great Britain. I believe that the labor
Unions make for smother relations and
without labor unions last week our
strike would be a civil war. Here is
an example for America, etc, etc.
"No private detectives here that's
why.
"November l. 1919, $4,000. Just
think of it. 1t was paid to Flanagan
of the Thiel Detective Agency, by
bankers and manufacturers of Chicago,
state of Illionis, and like amount
paid to the other "Big Three" private
detective agencies, and $l5OO00 more
was divided among the other sixty
agencies.
From the Inside.
"To show clearly their devilish
activities, private operatives. known
as covered operatives) presented
themselves to a president of one of
the local unions; presented their cred
icards" and asked to be allowed TO
speak, and were granted permission.
One after another, they denounced the
president (yourself) first, then flung
:, the constitution to the four winds of
heaven and took charge Of the White
House. A few days after their intro.
duction came the unusual proposition.
We will get into the plant, blow up
, the center machinery. and it will then
. take them six months to repair the
. damage The president of the local
, union refused, and they set about to
, get control Of the union, consequently
determined to be honest. Mr.. president
had to call a federal officer for pro-
! lection. The president of the union
g until this day believes that bunch Of
covered private detectives to be true
union radicals What means has he OF
n knowing differently The motive was
:. TO dynamite the plant, kill the emp
loyes, the same as the Los Angels
0 Times building.
t "The chiefs were determined moi
TO be outdone, as they endeavored tt
reach him through one of his owr
men, who made the following prop
ostion:
f "'It cost 100000 to put in thu
i big fuse. We can gain access to tht
o building. / have it fixed with one Of
j. the watchmen, and I got man tba
l. will dynamite the big fuse It will tax,
o three months to fix it. Give us $25(
=. and will pull it off, The presiden
. stood the acid test, saying; BE gon,
~ from me, Satan.
~ "This miserable failure infuriatej
n the superintendent of the works, s,
d that he swung out his dragnet, 60
!. two of his perjureIs to get in conver
a sation with the labor leader. then wen
i. to the prosecuting attorney, swore tina
{; he had threatened their lives, anC
% said he would burn up their homes ant
"a their families with them, and he wa
4 then and there arrested with attempt
a. ing to commit murder an larson, ant
placed under 10000 bonds, and on tn
black list. He is foreigner. but
c. citizen, otherwise he would be on th
ll ark Still some call this cussodues
4. loyal Americanism.
ct "I will give you one more specifi
10 ease Of the thousands I could relate:
IS "Bromelay Witkiewitz worked for
al big corporation, for Is years. He i
ut of Russian birth, but a fullfledge
le American. Physically, mentally an
l. morally he is a perfect specimen o