be peculiar to Southern California, and certainly the totals of Los Angeles would indicate as much. The Chief says:
Some of regretted that we could not do more for the Government,
for the work of the A. P. L. appealed very strongly
to us. When we saw the local Government situation, a number
of us at once offered to help. The outstanding feature of all
this work was the absolute cowardliness of the pro-German
individual. In all our cases I cannot recall one where anything
like courage was displayed on the part of the subject.
The moment they realized they were confronted by anything
like authority their fear and their efforts at self-protection
were, to say the least, extreme. Individuals were brought to
the attention of the various departments who did not understand
and cannot to this day realize how the intimation was
received. They did realize, however, that there was authority
back of us. In many cases, the Military Intelligence Department
called us to their assistance where information could
not be secured in any other way. We also were able to
help the Food Administration.
There is distinct food for thought in the closing remarks
of the all too modest Los Angeles chief, made before the
dissolution date of the A. P. L. was announced:
In conclusion, I will say that a great deal of good could be
done by some form of permanent organization of the A. P. L,
or at least the retention of a nucleus for a continuation of
this work if it becomes necessary. From time to time certain
conditions are certain to occur in this country, brought about
either by war measures or discontent among a certain class,
which will require drastic handling. The American Protective
League can secure more valuable information and better assist
in bringing the attention of the authorities to such facts than
any other similar body of citizens in the country.
These are words of gold and show the heart of Los Angeles
to be certainly in the right place. It is a new and troubled
America that we have all got to face now, with or without an
A. P. L.
As to the odd and interesting stories noted by the Los Angeles operatives, the latter as usual seem to take more delight in telling of their fiascos than they do of their successes, but saving grace was usually there. For instance a woman and her husband living in Glendale were very rabid
