Evening star., 1940-06-07
More Spy Hunters


creased attention being given by the
executive and legislative branches of
the Government and by citizens
generally to the serious problem of
subversive activities. Revelations
regarding treacherouS methods used
by the Germans in the conquest of
Norway and Holland have convinced
even some of the erstWhile skeptics
and scoffers that internal security
against Trojan horse" plotting is
Just as important as national defense
against tangible outside foe. It is
high time that pooh-poohing of the
possible dangers of bund and Fascist
and Communist movements and of
other un-American agitation should
give way to a realistic facing of the
established facts-and these facts
briefly, are sthat alien agents of
potentially if not presently hostile
powers already are in this country
in considerable numbers, that they
are being abetted by fifth columnists
OF various totalitarian allegiances,
and that our defenSeS against all
brands of insidiouS infiltration are
dangerously weak There are not
enough investigators-and those we
have are seriously handicapped by
Justice Department order which
prevents them from tapping wires
of spies.
Representative Jack Nichols of
Oklahoma, in support of his bill to
provide 500 additional spy hunters
for the Federal Bureau of Investiga-
tlon read to the House Wednesday
a memorandum from j. Edgar
Hoover, F. B. I. director. disclosing
that espionage and sabotage COM
plants have jumped from an
average of thirty-five per year prior
to 1888 to thousands. In one day
recently the F. B. l. received a total
of 2871 such complaints. With only
$50 agents available for espionage
Investigations, it is obvious that it is
utterly impossible for the bureau to
investigate every report. Yet the
most casual and unpromising tip
conceivably could relate to some
situation gravely imperiling our
national defenses. President Roose-
velt has acted to meet this emer-
gency by requesting an appropriation
of more than $4,000 900 for emer-
gency expansion of the F. B. I. and
there is every indication that the
House Appropriations Committee
will approve this allotment promptly.
Congress also should pass the Celler
bill to permit overlapping by G-men
in national defense cases.
Since an increase of one hundred
agents previously had been granted
the F. B. l. for the fiscal year begin
ming July l, the additional men will
enlarge the staff of the bureaus new
national defense unit to seven hun
dred and fifty trained investigators.
These G-men are picked for their
character, intelligence and general
reliability and they are thoroughly
schooled in the intricacies of Fed
eral law and in the sacredness of
civil rights. They may be trusted
to tackle their difficult Job dispas-
sionately, fairly and relentlessly.
They will need the whole-hearted
support of an aroused public
opinion-and this they will get in
no small measure, judging from the
healthy evidences of civic awareness
of the fifth column menace. And
citizens can help in this houseclean-
ing by promoting Americanism and
educating the public to the dangers
of alien Notwithstanding to
authorized law enforcement officers
the expert tasks of investigating and
prosecuting suspected offenders.