There was another case, No. 300, in peaceful San Diego, in which the suspect seemed anxious to spread broadcast every manner of pro-German propaganda. He had been a naturalized citizen of this country for twenty years, and through his position in one of the city banks, he had been closely associated with many of San Diego’s leading business men. Yet, still deep in his heart was that love for the Fatherland which made him willing to fight this free country where he claimed citizenship and where he had all the benefits of our too weakly-lenient Government. It finally dawned on the minds of some of the customers of the bank that this man was not right. A. P. L. was called on to investigate him and worked on the case for months. The man was finally taken into custody, and the issue was joined between the United States Government on the one hand and this suspect and his influential friends on the other. A long trial was had and the jury disagreed. A second trial came off and A. P. L. had fifty witnesses ready to testify. The result was a conviction and a sentence of four years at McNeill’s Island. Truly, anyone reading the San Diego cases must agree that that division did not lack in energy and diligence.
The A. P. L. in Pasadena
Life is so idyllic in Pasadena—roses—oranges—that sort of thing that you would not suspect that anything evil could happen there, or that anyone ever could suspect anyone else in those select surroundings. But Pasadena had her A. P. L., and they were not in the least above suspecting the right people once in a while, as a brief tale or so may prove. In short, Pasadena had more than 100 cases of alien enemy activities, 321 cases of disloyalty and sedition, of which thirty-six were concerned with persons not citizens of the United States. These totals show distinctly the amount of investigation required of transients, for the War Department cases, having to do with the Selective Service Act, came to only 155 investigations.
The B—— family of Pasadena were known as prominent pacifists. They held some very pleasant pacifist meetings in their houses until the Home Guards and the A. P. L. got after them. After that their meetings were neither so pacifistic nor so pleasant. There was a professor of languages at Throop College, who was always a German sympathizer and who always was very outspoken for Germany. He was reported a number of times to the Pasadena A. P. L. Throop was made over into a military training school, and that was about all for Professor B——. He did not last.
Mrs. Jack C——, a society woman of the Maryland Hotel, was gay and liberal with officers and soldiers—would even give them a drink without the formality of their removing their uniforms. Reported to the authorities. No action could be taken under the law at that time.
Miss Helen F—— was a very ardent pacifist and a very ardent Socialist as well, and a great friend of some of the Socialists who write books and have a national reputation. She was investigated by the Department of Justice at Pasadena, and when she went east to New York last summer, the Navy Intelligence had her under its watchful eye all the time. Perhaps she does not know that.
Dr. H—— of Pasadena was arrested by Federal authorities, it having been alleged that he “doctored” the eyes of boys who were subject to the draft.
“Friends of Irish Freedom”—a branch of the Sinn Fein organization—contributed to the defense of leaders of the latter organization who were on trial in New York. Their meetings were attended by two A. P. L. operatives who reported to Department of Justice. Meetings discontinued.
M. J——, a prominent Russian, staying at a prominent hotel with a prominent count and countess, was kept under very prominent surveillance for some time and reported daily to the Department of Justice.
Ben and Robert L—— were not so prominent, but were content with evading the draft, so it was charged. They and their mother fled the country and went to San Salvador in South America. Pasadena Division, A. P. L., greatly assisted D. J. in Los Angeles in locating these parties. The case was of international interest.