Levin had dropped in once, to inquire about Robert’s cold, but had not called again. McCall was still out of town, and so Robert spent most of his time with Freeman. The latter had suggested that Robert do most of his work in his own room, because the identity of the bureau with the Tribe had already been discovered by investigators—newspaper men—and it might be more advantageous, at least for a while, to keep the identity of the new Grand Bogey secret.
Freeman had not yet explained the basis of the Tribe’s antagonism to the Catholics and the Jews, nor, so far as that went, to the Negro—although that was something that one could more easily understand. Freeman always brought up points, which he gleaned from The Beacon or from some similar source and the authenticity of which was often doubtful. Often the statements contradicted each other and then Freeman always grinned good-naturedly and showed that the arguments were really not his, but those of The Beacon or of a misinformed writer, some anti- this or that fanatic.
He always started out by emphasising the “big points” of the Tribe. They were sitting in Robert’s room one evening.
“If I were you I’d go after the big things—enforcement of law, white supremacy, pure Americanism and practical Christianity. Those are the main things,” said Freeman, pounding the table.
“You ask why the Catholic should be excluded? Because, as this card shows, he swears allegiance to a foreign potentate. He’s an alien although he benefits by our laws. If the Catholics could, they would unite the church and the state.”
“I see, but supposing I get a prospect and he asks me how I know that.”
Freeman laughed.
“Ninety-nine out of a hundred don’t ask. Ninety-nine out of a hundred men never ask about anything. They’ll accept a positive statement, if it’s positive enough. But if they do ask, you can hand them some of our cards or literature. Here’s some good stuff in The Beacon. Listen to this, for instance: ‘The National Democratic Committee is by majority a Roman Catholic body. It usually has a Roman Catholic President and Secretary. Catholics influenced the national campaign which elected Wilson. The President’s private secretary is a Roman Catholic.’”
“Wait a minute,” cried Hamilton. “I’m a Southern Democrat. Do you mean to insinuate that Wilson is controlled by a group of Catholics!”
“I’m not insinuating anything. I’m simply reading what The Beacon says. If a Democrat would get sore at it, show him something else. That’s why I say you have to study the man you approach and convince him accordingly.”