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:

Members of the League have been active in Red Cross work here, in food conservation, and in the sale of Liberty Bonds and War Savings Stamps. From the moment the Anchorage branch was first organized, I impressed upon the members the necessity of counter-propaganda to refute any insinuations or charges that they might hear against the causes leading the U. S. into war, and the conduct thereof. Everything in connection therewith which was derogatory to the interests of the U. S. was immediately traced to its source, if possible, and the false impression corrected. We have a large foreign element here employed in railroad construction, and members of the League made it a point in their trips up and down the line to explain the reasons for all restrictions.

When a strike was threatened on the Government railroad last year, members of the League explained to the men the necessity of staying at work until their case could be decided, so as not to interfere with the development of the coal fields to which the road was being built, as coal was a war necessity. I believe that such action by the League was in large measure responsible for avoiding a strike.

Members of the League were on all committees in connection with war work activities, as well as on the Territorial Council of Defense, of which the Chief of the Anchorage branch acted as Chairman. During the time the League was organized, every member did his best for the interests of the country, and no need arose for disciplining any member. The work of the League was carried on in such an unostentatious manner that very few people knew of its existence except the members.

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.

BOOK IV
AMERICA

“IN FLANDERS FIELDS”
Challenge of the Dead in Battle