- tives were out and trailed every military or quasi-military
looking man on the streets or anywhere else. Their first haul included a major from the Judge Advocate General's office and a Judge from the Federal Court. The next alarm came from two operatives who trailed an officer just off the train, who turned out to be a colonel of the Quartermaster's Corps, U. S. A. The latter was able to make his escape. The Chief adds: "Just how many suspects were held up that night it would be difficult to state. Operative No. 3 turned in a report of his activities the next morning. It seemed he had held up the following personnel: One Lieutenant-Colonel, sixteen Majors, twenty-three Captains, forty-two Lieutenants, one Lieutenant-Commander, three Ensigns, and seven Sergeants—a total of ninety-two suspects. He closed his report with the following heartfelt remarks: "Well, I didn't know what kind of uniform the German had. Besides, every man I stopped was a blond. I didn't stop any other sort." D. J. reported it was satisfied that no German submarine officer had visited Atlanta.
ALABAMA
Birmingham, Alabama, was one of the most active and interesting divisions of the League. It took on 1,849 cases under the Selective Service Act, 76 investigations of pro-Germans, 123 cases of deserters, and 153 Red Cross loyalty reports, besides a large list of general war activities. Some of the star cases of deserter hunting at Birmingham are reported in another chapter.
Like many another community, Birmingham also had its wireless case, and like most cases of the sort throughout the country, it created much excitement in the division while it lasted. Certain mysterious light flashes, supposed to be signals, were reported along the top of a high hill on the outskirts of the city. Operatives detailed on the case could learn nothing, but still reports kept coming in. Finally, one astute visiting chief followed a high-powered transmission line along the mountain and found that the limb of a tree at a certain spot would touch the wire when swayed by the wind. The repeated rubbing had worn away the insulation, exposing the bare wire. When the limb came in contact
