Page:The web (1919).djvu/394

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and female alien enemies. A. P. L. developed the evidence on which one Herman Kauffman was interned at Fort Oglethorpe. This division also caused something over one hundred and fifty draft evaders to be taken before the local board as the result of a three months' drive under cover, which combed all the factories and railroad yards.

At Peru, Indiana, A. P. L. worked in combination with the "Loyal Citizens' Vigilance Committee of Miami County," an earlier organization of loyalty lovers which embraced about three thousand members of the hundred percent-loyal class. Mr. F. D. Butler was chief, and Mr. W. F. Schrader, head of the Vigilance Committee, assistant chief of A. P. L. The two organizations appear to have had amiable and efficient relations. There is something in the character of the Peru Vigilance Committee which seems to be reminiscent of the old "Know Nothing" party which had existence before the Civil War, and whose general platform was that of America for Americans. Does this Indiana Vigilance Committee, indeed, foreshadow a revival of some such political movement at a later date? It seems to have retained some of the tenets of the old Know Nothing party, which also worked in absolute secrecy, and had its grips, pass words and countersigns.

One may recall that it was an Indiana poet who wrote the line, "The Booger man will get you if you don't watch out." At least, between A. P. L. and the Vigilantes, a good and sufficient scare seems to have been thrown into the disloyal element around Peru.

There is grit, shrewdness and loyalty all combined in the report of the Chief of Rensselaer, Indiana, division. It is too good to change and the cases cited are given in the Chief's own words:


I am also sending you a few sketches of our work; if you can use them in the history of the League it will be appreciated. I am very much interested in the history.

First Case: There were numerous complaints and rumors of pro-Germanism and disloyalty in Northern Jasper County. Our operatives, got a great many affidavits against a certain Lutheran minister, and an enemy alien named Herman S——, who had been bragging that no one could make him register. Accompanied by an operative, I took my car one Sunday and