The Wilmington morning star., 1940-06-11
Fifth. Column
BY THOMAS Nj. JOHNSON
NEA Service Military Writer

WESTINGHOUSE there a fifth
column in America?
To that question government in.
telligence agencies answer yes"
They know the undiluted poison OF
dissention, against which the Presi
dent warned, is being injected into
the nations veins right now by
thousands of foreign agents and pro-
pagandists.
These fifth columnists are filling
u free air with every sort of dis.
cordant cry-anti-British, anti-Jew
ish, anti-democratic, anti-defense. Ii
all meshes in with the official to
t%alitarian propaganda that comes in
increasing volume from Germany
and Russia.
The poison threatens the health
of our body polite not only by caus-
ing dissention, but by a%rousing hys'
terical reactions.
No one wants a nationwide witch
hunt. J. Edgar Hoover of the FB]
has warned against this, but ne Sc
riously acknowledges that Recently
there have been many examples OF
growing disrespect for the American
flag and cynicism toward the free
dom for which it stands"
There is good authority for say
ing that the President, before his
recent speech, had been warned sew
eral times that the totalitarians
have worked out a program of pro
paganda and sabotage in the United
States. In the last few days gov
eminent agencies have intensified
precautions. The number Of G-mer
assigned to counter-espionage ha:
been increased above the $50 on duty
before the defense program was vot
ed.
Congress is considering laws fol
fingerprinting all aliens and eXclud
ing them from work on defense
orders.
But that will not fully n%eutralize
the poison.
NOT ALL
ARE ALIENS
Many fifth column members ar
not aliens nor members of thu
Bund or Communist party. Accord
ing to government information
some workers may be found in thu
estimated 500 organizations that arr
fellow-travelers of Nazis, Commu
nists, or both.
These organizations have variet
names, patriotic or religious, sucl
as the Christian Mobilizers.
Under various guises they get mon
ey from many sources, including al
too many plain Americans, to worl
for to%talitarian ends.
One such organization has agent
in several large cities picking fight
with Jewish st~orekeepers, dragging
them onto the sidewalk and deliver
inc. orations to curious crowds abou
how the Jews want to get us int
war. Another pays men two dollar:
a day to stir up race hatred by in
flammatory remarks in public places
The Black Shirt organization, long
quietly active here among our 1000,
900 .%Italian-born, is now openly agl
tating for Italy's entry into the
war.
All these people are prepared tt
-1-;- .;-;1 1ihor+iac that Wn11l6 ne
denied them in Germany, Russia OF
Italy. An ominous mountain Of evi
dence piles up in washington thai
the Communists and Nazis here are
prepared to point their propaganda
efforts against American democracy
In Mexico, Reds and Browns are
planning disorders after the election
July 7. hoping to set up a totallta
rian state or at least distract oul
attention and draw troops to the
borders. Contact is made through a
German organization in New York
City.
Various organizations frankly anti
democratic get their propaganda In
troduced into the Congressional Rec
ord. They are trying to increase
their representation in congress ano
in the army, especially the natlonal
guard and the reserves.
The navy has taken special pre-
cautions to prevent another such
outbreak of sabotage as damaged
several cruisers just before Stain
became "a friend of democracy
His pact with Hitler has hampered
Reds and Nazis here, but also 1t
has helped, for with the fellow
travellers gone, the remainder are
a toreh crew, well trained for the
next phase, and well placed.
Many Communists and Bundlsts