The Web : $b The Authorized History of the American Protective LeagueHough, Emerson
History
The Web : $b The Authorized History of the American Protective League
Hough, Emerson
American Protective League; Propaganda, German; World War, 1914-1918 -- Secret service -- United States
New Orleans was a “wet town,” in close proximity to two Naval stations,
three aviation fields, and two cantonments. It is easily seen what this
meant in the way of activities for the A. P. L. There was a special
liquor bureau put in charge of a captain and assistants. The division
Chief and his aids made an agreement with all the local breweries
and all the wholesale and retail liquor dealers that no intoxicating
liquor should be sold in bottles after 7:00 p. m. This cut off a great
deal of bootlegging and much of the heavier drinking which could not
be controlled by the local police. This bureau was most efficient,
as is demonstrated by the fact that Colonel Charles B. Hatch, U. S.
Marines, who was in charge of the police forces of Philadelphia, was
sent down to New Orleans by Secretary Daniels of the Navy to make an
investigation of the New Orleans situation, and reported that so long
as the A. P. L. was on the job there was no need for the establishment
of a military police in New Orleans, or of extending any other
law-enforcing organization. A. P. L. has rarely had a better compliment
than this.
This bureau had chemists making analyses of several alleged soft
drinks, and caused a cessation in their sale when they were of a
suspicious character. In general, it locked up the town in a manner
entirely satisfactory to the military and naval authorities. Anyone
going to New Orleans in war times would have found it anything but a
wide-open place.
Yet, but lately, New Orleans was called rather an “open town” in other
ways: hence the vice bureau, established under the constant personal
supervision of the division Chief. There were squads kept out all the
time in control of the “district” and uptown sections of the city, this
patrol being kept up day and night. It was not in the least infrequent
that A. P. L. men would be out many nights on service of this sort.
In order that the operations of this vice bureau might be facilitated,
Chief Weinberger was named U. S. Commissioner by Federal Judge Foster.
Women apprehended under Section 13 of the Conscription Act were brought
before Commissioner Weinberger, their cases investigated and affidavits
made. When necessary, they were sent to the isolation hospital for
investigation as to their physical status.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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