Evening star., 1940-06-02
Fifth CoIumnists'
Declared Known;
G-Men on The Trail
J. Edgar Hoover Expends
Counter-Espionoee Forces
With Law School Men
~ the Associated Press.

oS Guc ASooClAtCd EtCSS.
Government leaders, convinced
that the 'fifth columns of Europe
are abroad in the land of the free,
have thrown the power Of the G-men
against the potential menace from
within.
The crime-flghters who busted the
kidnap racket and made bank rob-
berry unhealthy have trained their
sights on the breeding spot Of
treason.
Insiders say the Government
knows who the fifth columnists"
are; if the time comes to strike
them down it will move quickly.
Six days after war broke out in
Europe last fall President Roosevelt
instructed the Federal Bureau of
Investigation ito take charge of
investigative work in matters re-
lating to espionage, sabotage and
violations of neutrality regulations
j. Edgar Hoover already had
started re-training his sleuths for
counter-espionage work. With an
expanded force of G-men recruited
from the law schools, he called on
police and sheriffs to cooperate.
Flooded by Zip" Letters.
For months the work went on
quietly while the flood of "tip" let
ters-ranging from $50 to $50 day
measured the state of the public
mind.
Then NTH column" lightning
struck the peaceful fjords of Nor
way A few weeks later the Neither
lands fell quickly before the me-
chanical thrust of German might,
aided by spies and traitors within
the Lowlands.
American became fifth column"
conscious overnight.
New York's City Council, declar-
Ing an emergency. called for State
laws to check fifth columns"
Gov. E D. Rivers of Georgia re-
quested Aliens to submit to volun-
tary registration and fingerprinting
and asked authorities to report
those who did not comply.
missouri "CraCkS down..
The city fathers of Independence
Mo-, made it ulawful for more than
three persons to assemble "for the
purpose Of assisting any person of
any foreign government
in a plan to usurp the Government
or State by force or violence"
Mrs Edna L. Johnston of the Ma
tional Legion of Mothers OF Amer
lea. calling for formation of wom-
ems rifle corps in every State, re-
marked:
Enemy parachutists in America
will regret the day they first drew
breath"
In Johnstown, Pa, police got a
spy Tip" that man was having
his hair dyed Rushing to the bar
ber shop, they learned he was just
getting a few Of the gray ones
touched up"
America Awakens Suddenly.
These scattered events-and many
more-were indexes of Americas
sudden awakening to a danger
which many felt was none too re-
mote.
OfIicials here steadied their coun-
ter-espionage forces for increased
work. Administration spokesmen
made 1t clear that they were aware
of the danger. At the same time,
they sought to assure the public
that every precaution would be
taken to protect the innocent citizen
unjustly accused.
Attorney General jacksonville
man who, In wartime, would be re-
sponsible for internal order in the
Nation-declared in a statement:
1T is obvious that the Depart
ment Of Justice cannot and should
not reveal its information, or the
nature Of the measures 1t has taken
or Is taking, or the precautions 1t
has used or is prepared to use
against fifth column activities"
To reporters crowded into his
paneled conference room, he added:
The duty OF the Government,
under the circumstances, is to know
who are the members Of the bund,
the Communist Party and other or
ganizations of that kind"
Fifth Column" Defined.
Mr.. jackson defined the nth
column" thus:
/. Saboteurs (wreckers), or persons
preparing to commit sabotage to de-
stroy property useful to national
defense.
2. Spies, seeking either military or
industrial secrets
g. Representatives of foreign gov
ernments or foreign political parties
by which the attempt is made to
influence American policy on behalf
Of foreign governments"
These are the peacetime signs Of
the "fitth column"
In event of military attack on
America. alien agents and domestic
traitors might be expected to play