The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-04
As Pegler Sees 1t
By WEsTBROOk PEGLER

into prominence as a secret investigating
agency which had planted an "operative' as
secretary and employed another under
cover agent in penetrating a secret society
in Georgia called the Colurnbians. The Co.
lumbians are described as hostile to Jews
and Negroes.
A dispatch from Atlanta said Daniel Duke,
assistant attorney general of Georgia, had in
vited the league to enter the Investigation.
Inquiry here shows that the league itself is
a secretive organization employing sneaks
and spies. 1t decides for itself whether any
person or organization is "subversive' and
should be exposed"
The Colunbians may be as evil as the dis
patches from Atlanta suggest. Their extinc-
ton may be %devoutly desired by all who op-
pose persecution, Nevertheless, the Non-Sec-
tartan Anti-Nazi League also claims a right
to determine the practices OF all people who
have been reported to us as being either en-
gagged in ,subversive or un-American activi-
ties" And such persons could include millions
of good citizens who have a right to their
privacy and their peace. 1t was Dorothy War
ing, describing herself as director OF inyesti-
cation for the Anti-Nazi League" who thus
stated the leagues business at a congression-
al investigation in le43. Obviously, many inno-
cent Americans might be reported to the
league by personal enemies or business rivals.
That was common experience in Italy and
Germany.
1t had been related here that Oswald CARR
son Willard, one of our landmark liberals in
the role of editor and propaganda, was a
founding member of the Non-Sectarian Anti
Nazi League, but resigned years ago. Unable
to recall exactly why he quit. Mr.. Willard
nevertheless said he supposed it was be-
cause he objected to the leagues venture into
personal espionage and boycotts.
James W. Gerard, a Woodrow Wilson demo-
crat, another founder, also quit the league
to repudiate activities not contemplated in the
original purpose. which was to oppose the
rise of Hltlerism in Europe by propaganda.
Mr.. Gerard was our ambassador to Germany
in the First World War down to our break
with the Kaiser. He is remembered for hav-
ing told some German official, probably
Chancellor Won Bethmann-Hollweg, h a we
had a lamppost from which to hang each
German spy in the United States.
Having resigned, Mr.. Gerard reconsidered
and was persuaded to ~rejoin.
II resigned again and said publicly that l
didn't believe in the boycott as an American
instrument" Mr.. Gerard said. mo, no, no.
We made no Investigations when I Joined.
That is why I resigned. They were~attacking
American business men. I was present alta
meeting at, 1 think, in the Hotel~Diplomat.
They had started a boycott Of the New York
Daily News and I didn't believe in boycotts.''
Mr.. Gerard said some boycotts were pro
posed Or started against American business
IL LIN Will Lou AdQ COliIlIlSICG Win GERMAN
firms. He opposed that as a purpose of the
league in deciding to get out for good. But,
in the case of the Daily News, he said, there
was no suggestion that the paper had had
commerce with German or nazi firms. The
boycott, as he understood it, was directed
against the papers editorial policy and he
would have no part in such coercion or pres
sure against editorial freedom.
Like Mr.. Willard. Mr.. Gerard was emphatic
on the point that the league was not intended
by its founders to be an investigating body.
Still further now, on this point, an author
calling himstlf Richard Rollins and represent
ing himself to have been the anti-nazi leagues
director Of investigation, made disclosures in
a book called II Find Treason"
Mr.. Rollins relates that he had first met
Dorothy -Waring, the leagues director o. in
vestigation,' when she was planted as a secre-
tary in an organization called the Order of rs,
which he describes as pro-nazi and anti-semi-
tic. He says he had caught Oh as the orders
director Of intelligence and that he and Miss
Waring, also known by other names, robbed
the files and the safe Of their employers. He
says she was known as agent SO.
MIR. Rollins writes that in 1885, two years
after the founding Of the anti-Nazi League.
he was called to the country home of the late
Samuel Untermyer, another noted liberal and
a philanthropist, for a secret meeting of dis
tinguished men. leach representing one or
more private organizations or special commit
tees of public associations"
He says he promised never to reveal their
identity and that these organizations, including
the Anti-Nazi League, here united to investi.
gate and expose t'subversive, un-American ac-
tivity."
Mr.. Willard and Mr.. Gerard make it clear
that if such an organization was formed to
include the league they would have refused to
have anything to do with the new activity.
Mr.. Rollins says Il was TO be made chief in
groups, responsible only to a committee of
the whole, the board"
THE board he wrote, t'would now be Sc
lected. l was told nothing more. The financial
setup remained unexplained"
He seems not to have known the composition
of this mysterious board.
Now Mr.. Rollins's activity becomes political
He says he spied on the New York republican
state headquarters in the 1886 campaign. As a
result Of his reports. the democrats made
political hay Of a tie between a committee
head of the republican state organization and
the bund," through newspaper stories.
He then says that clarence Low, treasurer
of the democratic state comnitte, asked me
to stay on after the election and help him
compile a complete report and permanent ex-
hibit of my work to take On tour"
Mr.. Low assured him that the tour would
have nothing to do with politics and that It
was sponsored by the Anti-Nazi League. He
says further that the leagues officers then in
Guided Willard and Gerard. He admits that he
was 'skeptical of the party officials sudden
urge to educate the public" but he was set
straight by Lows assurance that politics would