Page:The web (1919).djvu/429

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The Chief of Salisbury, North Carolina, Division sends in his final report in homely and convincing phrases, a mark of the good common sense employed in his work. One pro-German was called into the office and the Chief said to him: "Mr. ——, I hear that the next time you and your family come to town over the public road, you are going to be blown up without any warning." The man struck the table with his fist and said: "I'd like to know how! The public road is mine and I'm going to travel on it." The Chief said: "So our ships had a public highway to Europe. The Germans have destroyed vessels, women and children without warning. What do you think of it?" The pro-German thought this over a minute and exclaimed: "Why hasn't some one talked to me like that before? I never saw it that way before."

Hickory, N. C., says: "Our work was largely educational. We had no aliens—all native born American citizens. Thirty of our leading citizens constituted the membership of the League. When we went to work, all the 'aginners' who were against the war got on the right side. Especially was this true after the amended espionage act went into effect. In my judgment," says the Chief, "the psychological effect of an organization that could be felt but not seen helped wonderfully in bringing to their right senses the small minority that were not in right at the start."

Durham, N. C., pulled off one raid on a circus crowd and got ten slackers. "Our community has a foreign element," says the Chief, "and is above the average in respect to law and order. Our members were prominent in the war activities."


SOUTH CAROLINA

Anderson, S. C., says: "Our organization has been anxious to answer every call. There are practically no foreigners in this section, so violations of the war measures have been almost negligible. Most of our work has been making reports for overseas service. The men all consider it a great honor to have been members of the League."

A man whom we may call Benny Vogel deserted from the 105th Infantry at Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina. In