The Web

CHAPTER IV
THE STORY OF THE WEST

Under the caption of The West, we arbitrarily are grouping all of the states lying west of a line running north and south from the western borders of the Dakotas to the eastern edge of New Mexico. This excludes part of that great region long known in America as the Great West,—a country that is no more, and never again can be on the face of this earth, unless war and pestilence one day shall quite remove our present human population. What we retain as the West for A. P. L. classification purposes still has some distinct characteristics. It still is largely unknown land to Eastern citizens, still holds the flavor of a romantic past, as well as that of a great and unknown future.

The region thus set off comprises more than a third of the acreage of the United States. It is the most thinly settled portion of the United States and, made up as it is in large part of arid lands or mountainous regions, no doubt on the average it always will remain so. Yet here lie the richest remaining forests of America, and no one may know how much of additional mineral wealth. Here also, our country halts at the shore of the Pacific and looks westward at the future. In the march of King Charles, his knights paused at Rockfish Gap, and those merry gentlemen carelessly claimed possession of all those unknown lands that lay to the westward, “as far as the South Sea.” Well, we have made the crossing of the continent. We are at the South Sea now.

Who and what are we, however, who stand at the edge of the Pacific and look westward? Are we Americans? Who could call us such? We are not the same Homeric breed now that we were when the first rails went west. Taking our arbitrary section herein, west of the Dakotas, and studying the statistical census map of the United States made in 1914—the first year of the war—we find that the population of Montana is more than fifty percent foreign-born, or of foreign-born parentage. The same is true of Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, California, Oregon and Washington; all have population thirty-five to fifty percent foreign of birth or parentage! This, in what we have thought was the American West!

There is no American West. There is no America. But for the Grace of God, we are gone. This is no mere rant. Study the census maps yourself—you can have no more thrilling, no more fascinating and no more saddening reading, search how you may. The trouble with most of us Americans was that we did not know our America. For America, this war is not over. It is just beginning. The more we set aside preconceived notions or biased and unctuous conclusions based on suppositions and not facts for premises, and the more we learn the actual facts regarding this country’s problems to-day, the more we shall be obliged to that sobering and wholly distasteful thought that America is at the threshold of her real war. That man does not live who can with any color of authority predict the end of that irrepressible conflict. No Statue of Liberty can avert it; no jaunty melting pot doctrine can conjure it away.

But the great West, which with the great South remains in larger percent American than do the North or the East, was zealously on guard throughout this war. Few of our far-flung marches but had an A. P. L. outpost of Americans, and these were eyes of the same sort that long ago looked down the brown barrels of long rifles in the frontier days. If we had a frontier now, here it would lie, between the Prairies and the Pacific; and the frontier always has been loyal. It was loyal in this war. The next great American will come from the land of the old Frontier. What, think you, will be his message? Will it be of melting-pots?

COLORADO

Denver, Colorado, must have a rather thrifty population, for there were 140 cases of food hoarding reported from that division. Operatives of the League investigated 789 cases of disloyalty and sedition under the Espionage Act, and the division as a whole worked in close coöperation with the local draft boards. The Chief says: “We looked into the German language situation; also vice, liquor, bootlegging, and general lawlessness in coal mining camps. We investigated the loyalty of many individuals who were under consideration for membership in patriotic associations or for City or State positions.”

Delta County, Colorado, had one simple and kindly pro-German section foreman who left spikes sticking up in the wagon road crossing, so that they might possibly destroy some American tires. Very thoughtful, but not very damaging. Apropos of one of the more lurid happenings in this division, the Chief says: “We got a riot call to a small settlement six miles out, and I responded with three details of A. P. L. members. We arrived on the scene at 11:00 p. m. and found thirty armed Americans who were just starting in to clean up a settlement of eleven German families. We quieted things until we could make an investigation, and then found that a poison scare was at the root of the trouble. A German administered a pint bottle of bluing to one of his sick horses. The horse very promptly died. Heated imagination did the rest.” The A. P. L. certainly prevented bloodshed in this instance.

Mancos, Colorado, gives a pleasant little touch of local color: “Just a few days before war was declared with Germany, one G. B. B——, a resident of Mancos, Colorado, made some very derogatory remarks to the effect that the war, if it was declared, would be a rich man’s war, for the benefit of the wealthy class, and that the United States had no business in war with Germany; that the American flag would soon be dragged in the dust, and by the Germans, if war were declared. His wife also stated that the Germans had done nothing worse than the soldiers did in our late civil war. Many remarks were made showing sympathy with the German cause. When the news of the first big victory of the Allied armies was received here, an impromptu celebration was held on the streets of the town, and all of doubtful sympathies were asked to mount a box and wave an American flag. Some half a dozen did so, and did it gracefully and with seeming willingness, but Mr. B—— refused to come out. Later, at another celebration, he was made to come out and wave the flag, though he did it with bad grace and only upon being strenuously urged to do so. He made a long talk trying to tell how loyal he was, but he would not submit to waving the flag until really made to do so, and then in a very insulting way. He made no more violent utterances after the time mentioned.”

Red Cliff, Colorado, had at least one hectic moment: “On October 14, 1918, the County Treasurer’s deputy, Mrs. F——, deliberately tore down the Fourth Liberty Loan poster, remarking that ‘That has been up there long enough; it has almost ruined our flowers in the window.’ It was developed that our County Treasurer, Mr. C——, was a hoarder of food, and the local Food Administrator arrested him and fined him $25 for the benefit of the Red Cross. The County Treasurer called me into his office, caught me by the throat and tried to scare me, saying: ‘I understand you are showing a paper around here trying to ruin my character; that you are saying that I am a dirty slacker. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself to circulate such dirty lies about me?’ Then the fun began. I struck him and told him that if he was guilty of hoarding 2,000 pounds of flour in his brother’s attic, he certainly was a dirty, low-down slacker and traitor. He weighs about 225 pounds; I weigh 143. He threw me down and sat on me for fifteen minutes, trying to make me apologize. I didn’t, and never will for any man of pro-German type.”

For a man weighing only 143 pounds, the Red Cliff chief seems to have been active. He sent back three Canadian subjects and caused a decided change of heart in a pro-German who was the son-in-law of a local banker. The suspect got wind of the fact that he was being investigated, and his conversion was very prompt, he making no attempt to sit down on the local Chief.

Prowers County, Colorado, investigated fifty cases of mouth-to-mouth propaganda, a notable case in its annals being that of a German Lutheran minister who refused to answer the question as to which side he wished to win the war. It did not take him long, however, to realize that he had made a blunder. He asked for time. The next day he declared very promptly that he wanted the United States to win. He was instructed to prove this by preaching and praying it in private as well as in public, which he agreed to do.

MONTANA

Billings, Montana, organized its A. P. L. division only three months before the signing of the Armistice. The Chief says: “It was a privilege to serve. We are grateful for the opportunity that came to us. Our field was small, and our time of service was short, but if we contributed in some small way to the success of the League’s work, we feel amply repaid.”

Red Lodge, Montana, is a coal mining town with a considerable foreign element, so it early organized a “Liberty Committee” of two hundred citizens. This committee worked in with the A. P. L. The fact that a division of the latter body was organized was not definitely known, but the belief got out that the Government had a secret agency working at Red Lodge and that it was in working order; “which it was,” says the Chief.

NEW MEXICO

An instance of shrewd detective work comes from Albuquerque, New Mexico, whose Chief reports:

We received a copy of a letter mailed from this point several months previous, illegibly signed, but clearly addressed to a man named H—— in Holland. The letter, intercepted by censors, contained disloyal statements about Liberty Bonds, and referred to “our bank.” We assumed from this that the writer of this letter was a banker. The use of blank paper instead of a business letterhead suggested that he was a transient. Albuquerque being quite a health resort, we surmised that the banker was probably a well-to-do health seeker. Accordingly, we combed the higher class resorts frequented by visitors of this type. Going through the list of patrons at one of these places, we found the name of A. H——, resident of an Arkansas town. By referring to the bank directory, we discovered that this man was a director and officer in the bank at that town. We sent this information to the National Directors in Washington. It was sufficient. The investigation of the whole case consumed thirty minutes. We admit it was a little different from the usual routine that we usually had to follow.

UTAH

Green River, Utah, had a couple of cases which made some trouble. One was that of William F. A——, and Callie A——, his wife. Evidence was secured showing that this man was not a citizen, although he had voted as such. It was alleged that he was handling high explosives in violation of the law and that he expressed disloyal sentiments. Military Intelligence in Salt Lake confiscated the arms and ammunition, and had A—— registered as a German alien enemy. His wife was very bitter in her denunciation of the United States and the Red Cross. The son of the two was charged with being a draft evader. Another man, James H——, was alleged never to have registered for the draft, although within the age limit. He was arrested, admitted his guilt, and was turned over to the County Board.

Hiawatha, Utah, seems to have been for the most part quiet during the war. This division says: “Due to the loyal spirit of our people, our report is short. We are in a thinly settled locality. We got only one fine imposed, a violator of the food regulations, who pleaded guilty.”

Richfield, Utah, is a farming community off the railroad, having no large labor organizations to make trouble. The Chief says: “A few pro-Germans were quietly warned, and that was all that was necessary. All our members were organized and watchful, and there was not much to do. Any service we could render we gladly gave.”

Santaquin, Utah, sends the best and most satisfactory kind of a report: “I am proud to state that this little town has been loyal to the core. We have not found a single slacker or disloyal case. Investigated one or two cases of men asking for military service and found them O. K. In all the drives for bonds and thrift stamps, we have ‘gone over the top,’ and we hope to continue with the same good spirit and loyalty.”

Moab, Utah, has a local chief of a calm turn of mind. He says that most of the talk he heard was just that of some ignorant people who didn’t know the difference between war and peace times. The Chief adds that he saw only three or four parties who refused to buy bonds. “I had a talk with them, and they bought willingly,” he adds!

From Fillmore, Utah, the Chief reports: “Not much to do in this out-of-the-way place. We watched every person who came into town. No telling when we might not have been of service in apprehending some person badly needed.”

Smithfield, Utah, reports: “We had only twelve in our organization. Our community is only two thousand—a farming community of good quiet citizens. We support the constitution; over-subscribed for Liberty Bonds, Red Cross, and War Savings Stamps. If you realize what a rural community like this is, you know there is not much to do. We have done what we could with the local boards in draft matters.”

ARIZONA

Tucson, Arizona, is the land of sunshine and appears to have been very peaceful. The Chief reports that there were plenty of war activities going on all the time, but none of these were of a nefarious sort. There apparently was nothing wild or woolly about an A. P. L. job in Tucson during war times.

Cochise County, Arizona, was once somewhat famous for loading up a railroad train with undesirable citizens and then telling the engineer to steam ahead. None the less, this last year or so Cochise has had absolute peace and quiet. Ever so often, of course, a dissatisfied citizen would go over to Mexico, subsist on red beans for a while, and then try to get back. He would usually find the getting back a trifle more difficult than the going over. About 1,000 investigations were made, most of them referred to the Department of Justice at Bisbee and Douglas. About forty-five or fifty men of the live-wire type did the work. There was always an element of danger present, though nothing ever broke.

Naco is directly on the border between Mexico and the United States. Douglas, not far distinct, is a busy town of which smelting is the big industry. The historic town of Tombstone is the county seat. Bisbee is one of the largest copper camps in the world. There were good men and true with the A. P. L. in all of these towns, and they did fine, loyal service for the flag.

WYOMING

An artless report comes from Weston County, Wyoming: “We had a number of people here who were pro-German, but all such cases were quieted with a little assistance. One man said that he was in hopes that he could eat another good meal in his own country, Germany. When he got through talking to all the people who waited upon him, he went home and committed suicide.”

Moran, Wyoming, is hardly a place where you would look for a Russian countess. None the less, Moran contained one for a while, and A. P. L. found her there and made certain investigations. One I. W. W. leader was also discovered by alert operatives.

Sundance, Wyoming, is in the short grass country, and reports but little German activity. Most of the work of this division had to do with draft board matters. The ranch country of the west was in a very large measure strictly loyal, as the reports show.

IDAHO

Idaho Falls, Idaho, had one case which again shows the pronounced anti-Americanism of the German Lutheran church in America during the war. C. C. M——, a minister of this denomination located at Blackfoot, Idaho, applied for the position of chaplain in the United States Army. The local chief of the A. P. L. investigated him and found him to be violently pro-German. It was known that he had threatened to blow up the town of Blackfoot with dynamite, and had also made threats to poison the source of the water supply of the town. Did Rev. Mr. M—— get his chaplaincy? He did not. A local applicant for the position of Captain in the United States Army, as Inspector of Arms, was also investigated, and was turned down on account of his strong pro-German tendencies.

Almo, Idaho, reports: “Our locality is wholly a stock raising section and is sparsely settled, so there has been no disloyalty or trouble whatsoever. There is nothing to report except that the people of this section are absolutely O. K. in their loyalty to Uncle Sam.”

CALIFORNIA

Long Beach, California, sends in a two-page report which is entirely too modest, because it covers 8,590 investigations. Out of this number, ninety were held in the Federal courts. Twenty were convicted, and three were found not guilty. Forty slackers and deserters were arrested, and three alien enemies, who were taken in the shipyards, were interned. Some 3,000 persons who had made indiscreet remarks against the country were warned to good effect.

In the Long Beach district were four shipbuilding plants. It was learned that several I. W. W.’s were numbered among the employees. They were taken from the shipyards for cause. The Long Beach chief was reluctant to disband, and when the time came to do so, he made arrangements by which the division will be held as a sort of reserve. “If at any future time you need our assistance,” says the Chief, “you will find us waiting.”

Oakland, California, looked into the color of the hair and eyes of 387 persons under the heading of disloyalty and sedition. There were 356 investigations under the draft act. Oakland Division dealt out its punishments to the enemy drastically. Seventeen well-known local Germans, business and professional men, drank a toast to the Kaiser in the Faust Café, a German restaurant. The A. P. L. got the necessary evidence, and ten of these men were convicted of disloyalty. The court put the punishment at three months in the chain gang, and a fine of $250 each. They do not now know any such phrase as “Hoch der Kaiser.”

Crescent City, California, had at least one high light. The Chief reports that an enemy alien, a baker, learned in some way that his loyalty had been questioned, and immediately started to gather all the rifles and pistols that he could, declaring that with a dozen guns he could hold the whole town at bay. Officers searched his place of business during his absence, and found several of the guns loaded. The man claimed to be a naturalized citizen, but could not show his papers. His case was cared for.

OREGON

The far Northwest bordering on the sea caught flotsam and jetsam, caught problems, as seaboard regions always have and always will. The city of Portland, Oregon, shares in these matters, though it is old, settled, and much disposed to quiet. Portland’s main concern in life is the growing of roses; but early in the war Portland had already thrown away her rose-growers’ club and set her hand to the ax rather than to the garden trowel. As a city, it is a good place for roses, but a poor place for alien enemies.

A certain man of many aliases, whom we may indicate as D——, was arrested for being found within half a mile of the Armory without an enemy permit. He was found to be the owner of a great deal of I. W. W. literature. Investigation proved him to be a man of vitriolic temper, and one possessed of considerable means. He was very well investigated and jolly well interned.

A man by the name of F—— was arrested as a German alien, traveling without a pass. Very naturally, he claimed to be a Swiss, as do all German waiters. Investigation of his case proved he was in the habit of signing as a seaman, on ships about to sail, and then refusing to go on board at sailing time. His peculiar conduct got him in wrong with the Sailors’ Union. A close examination developed that he was a former German naval officer, and pictures of him were found in the German uniform. He was interned as a dangerous alien.

If Portland’s A. P. L. could not get a man one way, there were always other ways available. One J. B——, placed under suspicion by the angry accusation of a woman whom he claimed to be his wife, was discovered to be a draft evader from Chicago. It was found also that he had a real wife living in Oklahoma. The pretending wife forged the wife’s name to the man’s questionnaire, thus securing for him a deferred classification. He was indicted for violation of the Mann Act and Conscription Act, and got eleven months in jail.

The first slacker convicted and sentenced for violation of the Conscription Act in the State of Oregon was C. B—— of Portland, who was discovered to have failed to register. He was arrested the 10th of July, 1917, tried and convicted and served thereafter as an example.

The hundreds of cases in Portland were of much the same sort as those arising in other cities. The law of averages held good. Once in a while a man was reformed, and once in a while a flivver was found. E. B——, of California, registered at Fairfield, California, June 5, 1918, was posted as a deserter and arrested by an operative of the A. P. L. at Portland, Oregon. He was of Swedish descent, and the hearing of his case developed that many of his friends had told him that he could get out of the Army by claiming exemption as an alien subject to deportation. It was explained to him that if he went back to Sweden under deportation, he could never again return to the U. S. as a citizen. This cleared up his mind distinctly, and he resolved to go into the Army and will probably make a good citizen.

Canyon City, Oregon, says: “We had one man who was constantly spilling over in favor of Germany. Our members took him over the jumps and made him subside. He could have been convicted, but neighbors promised to be responsible for him, and they kept their word. Our people as a whole were very loyal, and we had only a small number of cases to handle.”

WASHINGTON

Yakima, Washington, tabulates its activities as 93 cases of disloyalty and sedition, ten cases of word-of-mouth propaganda and sixteen I. W. W. cases, besides the usual routine work.

Snohomish, Washington, sends in a report indicative of an unexpected amount of activity. There were 302 cases of disloyalty and sedition, nineteen of sabotage, twenty-four of anti-military activity, fifteen of propaganda, as well as 116 cases under the selective service regulations, and 124 under the “work or fight” order. The Chief closes his modest summary with the statement that the work was largely connected with I. W. W. and Socialists activities such as were noted in the Northwest during the war. He says: “We had the state secretary of the Socialists in the penitentiary. Many I. W. W.’s were jailed, and many more were inducted into the Army. Some of the latter tribe have been court-martialed since entering the Army.” As it were, and so to speak, Atta Boy!

ALASKA

And now let us give, as the very last tribute of The Four Winds, the report of a town which may seem a long way from home to many readers, but which, out of all the many hereinbefore mentioned, will show best of all the far-flung activities of the American Protective League. This report comes from Anchorage, Alaska. Leopold David is Chief at this far off station, and every word that he has written shall go to the readers of the League:

It has a safe and significant sound—the A. P. L. at Anchorage. Not a large place, indeed, but there were seven cases of alien enemy activity, twenty-eight of disloyalty and sedition, five of anti-military activities and thirty-two of propaganda, beside two I. W. W. investigations. Anchorage seems to have been uncertain whether to work or fight in some instances; 206 cases came up of this sort. In addition to these, 143 draft cases came before the local boards, as well as 62 slacker cases. Twenty-two cases under the head of liquor, vice and prostitution were disposed of. The Food Administration had only four cases. It is gratifying to note that every head and sub-head of the report is filled out conscientiously and carefully.

We may now cease the reading of further reports from the four points of the compass in America, and rest with this one from Anchorage, submitting once more the conviction that these many varying reports, covering multifold lines of investigation, make the best and truest reflex of America ever gotten together in printed form. The reading and summarizing of the reports made an extraordinary experience, such as can hardly have come to many individuals, probably to none outside of the Department of Justice; and it is not known whether a similar enterprise ever has been undertaken even in that great office. By no means is it to be supposed that all the reports sent in have been mentioned in these pages—only a small fraction have had even the briefest mention. Many hundreds remain unnamed in public as do hundreds of thousands of men who made them up, not asking recognition for their work. It would be cheap to thank such men, or to apologize to them. In A. P. L., each of us has done the best he knew. For that, there is higher and better approval than that of any printed page.