Page:The web (1919).djvu/391

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got noised about that we had fifteen killed. A carnival was being held in a little town nearby, and when we got back at 2:00 A. M., the ladies were waiting with hot coffee and sandwiches for us, so we didn't call it a bad night's work. We nailed an American flag to the house of that enemy alien, and it is still waving there. The next day the Department of Justice was on hand. We traveled into three counties to get a man who said that some Germans had guns and would use them. It was said that these guns were to aid Germany in case she could effect a landing in this country.

About seventy per cent of the inhabitants of Henry County are of German descent, and many remained in sympathy with Germany even after we went into the war. We could do little with them. Our League of Patriots tried nineteen cases in Henry County, relieved a bank cashier of his position, got a State road superintendent dismissed and brought a good many other pro-Germans out into the open. The A. P. L. assisted in getting much of the evidence against the road superintendent, who was heard to say: "If this country goes into the war with Germany, one million Germans will rebel, and I will be one of them." Thus far, the million Germans seem less disposed to rebel since the eleventh of last November.


Yellow Springs, Ohio, is another instance of simple, honest, heel and toe hard work. The division assisted in all the war activties, and helped out the Department of Justice in divers instances in collecting testimony.

Wooster, Ohio, says: "Our principal activities had to do with conscientious objectors. We tried to deal with these people in accordance with the law, and also in accordance with the regulations promulgated by the President. We had some amusing cases with members of the Ammish church, including their Bishop, who was accused of advising men not to comply with the draft order. This man caused the county boards a great deal of trouble. He would not come in and talk with the military authorities, but the A. P. L. brought him in. You have to know these people to appreciate the obstructions they will put around all draft matters."

Coshocton, Ohio, had fifteen citizens who were suspected of being disloyal, and thirty who talked too much. Members worked when the thermometer was twenty below zero, trying to catch parties who were tearing down and mutilating Liberty Loan posters.