The story of all these curiously interactive agencies, official and amateur, is indeed the greatest detective story in the world, and it is very difficult to measure it in full, or to visualize it in detail, so simply did it all happen, so naturally, so swiftly and so much as a matter of course. There is no like proof in history of the ability of the American people to govern itself and to take care of itself. Mr. Clabaugh’s vivid and accurate story will bear out all these statements, and it is requested that it be read by all who wish a clear and consecutive acquaintance with the history of the American Protective League. Attention is again called to it as printed in full in Appendix A. CHAPTER IV THE LEAGUE IN WASHINGTON Summary of the League’s Results Throughout the United States—Report of the National Directors—Facts, Figures and Totals for All the Divisions. Facts now may be made public property which until lately might not have been divulged. We therefore shall find profit now in studying the central organization by means of which the aroused Americans combined to fight the hidden forces of their unscrupulous enemy. The origin and growth, the general plans and methods of the American Protective League, have been explained; and it will now be well, before we pass on to the specific story of the League’s activities, to give some idea of the wide-reaching consolidation of those activities which followed upon the establishment of the National Headquarters. The report of any official may seem dry and formal, but the records should be made to show how America’s amateur Scotland Yard organized to fight the forces of Germany all over America. This portion of the League’s story is therefore of great value to anyone desirous of knowing the logical steps by which the League developed into a truly national institution. The liaison officer of the National Directors, Captain Charles Daniel Frey, made his report and summary of November, 1918, to Colonel K. C. Masteller of the General Staff, Chief of the negative branch of the Military Intelligence Division. This report was a general assembling of the national activities of the League up to the time of the signing of the Armistice. Certain extracts are made in consonance with the general outline above indicated. It should be noted that this report covers only a portion of the League’s work in Washington. The Department of Justice figures, as was to be expected, exceeded those of any other branch of the League’s work. The War Department totals were also very high—evidence of service rendered by the League which the War Department always has been very courteous and grateful in acknowledging. Captain Frey’s report reads: