The Wilmington morning star., 1946-12-25
As Pegler Sees It
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER
Copyright, 1916, by King Features
Syndicate. InC.)

dark politics and the old fears of continental
Europe. We have had our Molly McGulres
and our klans, which rise and fall, but nc
phenomenon like the current crop of secret
agencies which keep libraries of reference"
material on unsuspecting native citizens and
use it or hold it in reserve for political black
mail. Some of our prohibition groups enjoyed
close relations with some government depart
ments and bullied Congress, but they, too
at least were native, and the issue was strict
ly domestic.
In the present situation, Americans are
catalogued as "fascists", a general term, II
they dare to argue sincerely against immi-
grafton or express certain opinions on our
foreign policy. Roughly speaking, all who OPP
posed President Roosevelt became "fascists"
because Roosevelt said he was anti-fasclst
even while he introduced fascist measures into
this country. Now we hear "nat1onallsts
condemned as "fascists", although George
Washington was an uncompromising national
list ano Lincoln reveals no dilution OF his
American LOYALTY with an obligation to any
foreign power or element.
European countries had their secret police,
but we never have had such an institution.
1t is misleading to say that the FBI IS a
secret police force in a comparable sense.
The FBI does maintain a directory OF
criminals, a great convenience and legitimate,
which, in the hands of efficient men, makes
IL pOSoAh4C w NV AAAAAA& 80
The Treasury has several confidential agen-
cies which have access to bank accounts. The
FBI insists, however, that it keeps no dossiers
on innocent persons and both the FBI and
the Treasury appear to guard their material
confidentially for legitimate uses of the gov
eminent And, finally, these are official gov
eminent activities.
In unofficial life we have confidential agen-
cies which investigate applicants for insurance
to determine whether they are reasonable
moral risks, but keep their data to themselves.
Otherwise the companies would find them
selves writing fire insurance for men who
have burned themselves out before, or played
bankruptcy as a racket. And the credit agen-
cies investigate and make reports on applicants
for credit always marked strictly confiden-
tial'' to the client so that the client may
know the business condition of the applicant.
If the applicant is a dead-beat the credit
agency states the facts and the client guides
himself accordingly. In most cases, the agency
goes directly to the person or firm concerned
and the information is given willingly.
But personal espionage for political pur.
poses is something new to us.
Newspapers, as far back as my memory
goes, have made investigations through re.
~porters, generally to correct public evils, such
as corruption in office. There Is a long and
creditable record of newspaper crusades in
legitimate fields. Newspaper methods do not,
however, include the accumulation of per-
sonal information, possibly embarrassing but
not discriminating, for mere political coercion.
Most Of the investigators have been reputable
reporters who have shown themselves to be
trustworthy and above suspicion of blackmail
I wouldn't go as far as to say that no re-
porter had ever gone beyond legally defensible
means in his enthusiasm to get information.
but real reporters work largely through public
records which are open to everyone. Vital
statistics, court records, testimony, and Of
fetal sworn statements are productive, but
not all reporters have the time, the energy
and the resourcefulness to dig them out.
Public libraries are another source.
It cannot be denied, however, that in
recent years there has crept out of politics
and European theology a type called, by
careless courtesy, reporters whose methods
are a startling departure.
Some employees of Marshall Field once
wrote boastfully about a coup in which they
accompanied some agents of a CLIO union in a
violent raid on the New York headquarters
of John Lewis District so. Charges were
later made that the CLIO union, which often
seems to cooperate with the communists, had
planted a confidential secretary in District
30. When I discussed this with Field some
time later, he was so imbued with the cops.
and-robbers spirit of the "secret agent type
of reporter that he thought this was a tradi-
tional way of getting a scoop. He seemed
proud of the job.
Not to deny that a reporter occasionally
does run a personal risk, I recall only one who
ever was killed in action, so to speak. That
was Don Mellett, of Canton, O., and he was
an editor, not a reporter. and a crusader, not
a mere scandalmonger. M. E. Foster, of
Houston, and Julian Harris, of Columbus, Ga,
bravely took risks in fighting the Ku Klux
Khan in the 'twenties and might have been
killed, but weren't. To identify such fine
journalists with the sort of agents of secret
societies who accumulate personal Information
for use in intimidating citizens so that they
will be afraid to run for office or to express
their views on public issues would be unjust
and misleading.
The familiar, legitimate newspaper re-
porter is not mysterious. He goes by his own
name, except in rare situations where HE
identity would thwart him, whereas at least
five of the other kind have permanently
adopted false names. I know of three other
operating regularly on the air as interpreters
of news and informants of the public.
I don't believe I have ever known a
genuine newspaper reporter who carried a
pistol.
On the other hand, I examined recently
an application for a New York pistol permit
had adopted a false name and he said ne
needed it because he sometimes carried secret
document in his work as an operative
for a secret political-police society, and thought
his life was in danger.