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
The League likewise made investigations of a large number of
applicants for commissions in various Divisions of the War
Department, including applicants for Chaplaincies.
Investigations as to character and loyalty reached a very
large total. The number aggregates 30,166, including certain
investigations made prior to the establishment of the League
section in the Military Intelligence Division at Washington.
On January 12, 1918, the National Directors issued a bulletin
calling upon all local divisions to make full report upon the
rumors, current in their communities, which were harmful to
the interest of the United States in the prosecution of the
war. As a result of this inquiry, a large amount of information
was gathered, complete copies of which were turned over to the
Military Intelligence Division for its files.
In view of the fact that a large number of members of the American
Protective League enlisted in the military service or were
inducted into the draft, the League was requested by the Military
Intelligence Division to procure the names of all such men, with
their record, in order that the Military Intelligence might avail
itself of their services within the military forces if it so
desired.
In addition to the foregoing, miscellaneous investigations for
the Military Intelligence were carried on in considerable volume.
These included cases of impersonation of army officers, visé of
passports, bribery, theft and embezzlement, and a variety of other
cases. These miscellaneous investigations in the local divisions
referred to aggregate 19,556, or 136,892 for the country at large.
On June 5, 1917, the date of the first registration,
approximately eighty thousands of members of the League throughout
the country assisted at the registration polls, giving advice and
assistance to registrants under the law and aiding the officials
in all possible ways. In the larger cities, particularly those
with large foreign born populations, great congestion resulted
because of the ignorance of the law and its provisions on the part
of registrants, and because of the difficulty in ascertaining and
transcribing correctly their names and other information regarding
them. The number of places for registration proved insufficient
because of the shortness of the hours, and in many places great
confusion resulted. Acting under proper instructions, members of
the League in large numbers served as volunteer registrants under
the direction of the officials.
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