Unsafe for Democracy: World War I and the U.S. Justice Department's Covert Campaign to Suppress Dissent (Studies in American Thought and Culture)

During the First World War it was the task of the U.S. Department of Justice, using the newly passed Espionage Act and its later Sedition Act amendment, to prosecute and convict those who opposed America’s entry into the conflict. In Unsafe for Democracy , historian William H. Thomas Jr. shows that the Justice Department did not stop at this official charge but went much further—paying cautionary visits to suspected dissenters, pressuring them to express support of the war effort, or intimidating them into silence. At times going undercover, investigators tried to elicit the unguarded comments of individuals believed to be a threat to the prevailing social order. In this massive yet largely secret campaign, agents cast their net wide, targeting isolationists, pacifists, immigrants, socialists, labor organizers, African Americans, and clergymen. The unemployed, the mentally ill, college students, schoolteachers, even schoolchildren, all might come under scrutiny, often in the context of the most trivial and benign activities of daily life. Delving into numerous reports by Justice Department detectives, Thomas documents how, in case after case, they used threats and warnings to frighten war critics and silence dissent. This early government crusade for wartime ideological conformity, Thomas argues, marks one of the more dubious achievements of the Progressive Era—and a development that resonates in the present day. Best Books for Special Interests, selected by the American Association of School Librarians “Recommended for all libraries.”—Frederic Krome, Library Journal During the First World War it was the task of the U.S. Department of Justice, using the newly passed Espionage Act and its later Sedition Act amendment, to prosecute and convict those who opposed America’s entry into the conflict. In __Unsafe for Democracy__, historian William H. Thomas Jr. shows that the Justice Department did not stop at this official charge but went much further—paying cautionary visits to suspected dissenters, pressuring them to express support of the war effort, or intimidating them into silence. At times going undercover, investigators tried to elicit the unguarded comments of individuals believed to be a threat to the prevailing social order. In this massive yet largely secret campaign, agents cast their net wide, targeting isolationists, pacifists, immigrants, socialists, labor organizers, African Americans, and clergymen. The unemployed, the mentally ill, college students, schoolteachers, even schoolchildren, all might come under scrutiny, often in the context of the most trivial and benign activities of daily life. Delving into numerous reports by Justice Department detectives, Thomas documents how, in case after case, they used threats and warnings to frighten war critics and silence dissent. This early government crusade for wartime ideological conformity, Thomas argues, marks one of the more dubious achievements of the Progressive Era—and a development that resonates in the present day. Best Books for Special Interests, selected by the American Association of School Librarians“Recommended for all libraries.”—Frederic Krome, __Library Journal__ During the First World War it was the task of the U.S. Department of Justice, using the newly passed Espionage Act and its later Sedition Act amendment, to prosecute and convict those who opposed America's entry into the conflict. In Unsafe for Democracy, historian William H. Thomas Jr. shows that the Justice Department did not stop at this official charge but went much further - paying cautionary visits to suspected dissenters, pressuring them to express support of the war effort, or intimidating them into silence. At times going under cover, investigators tried to elicit the unguarded comments of individuals believed to be a threat to the prevailing social order. In this massive yet largely secret campaign, agents cast their net wide, targeting isolationists, pacifists, immigrants, socialists, labor organizers, African Americans, and clergymen. The unemployed, the mentally ill, college students, schoolteachers, even schoolchildren, all might come under scrutiny, often in the context of the most trivial and benign activities of daily life. Delving into numerous reports by Justice Department detectives, Thomas documents how, in case after case, they used threats and warnings to frighten war critics and silence dissent. This early government crusade for wartime ideological conformity, Thomas argues, marks one of the more dubious achievements of the Progressive Era - and a development that resonates in the present day During The First World War It Was The Task Of The U.s. Department Of Justice, Using The Newly Passed Espionage Act And Its Later Sedition Act Amendment, To Prosecute And Convict Those Who Opposed America's Entry Into The Conflict. In Unsafe For Democracy, Historian William H. Thomas Jr. Shows That The Justice Department Did Not Stop At This Official Charge But Went Much Further - Paying Cautionary Visits To Suspected Dissenters, Pressuring Them To Express Support Of The War Effort, Or Intimidating Them Into Silence. At Times Going Undercover, Investigators Tried To Elicit The Unguarded Comments Of Individuals Believed To Be A Threat To The Prevailing Social Order. Delving Into Numerous Reports By Justice Department Detectives, Thomas Documents How, In Case After Case, They Used Threats And Warnings To Frighten War Critics And Silence Dissent. This Early Government Crusade For Wartime Ideological Conformity, Thomas Argues, Marks One Of The More Dubious Achievements Of The Progressive Era - And A Development That Resonates In The Present Day.--jacket. Setting The Stage -- Methods And Ideology -- Policing The Clergy -- Policing The Left -- Policing Wisconsin -- Vigilantism. William H. Thomas, Jr. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 223-238) And Index. Contents......Page 8 Illustrations......Page 9 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Author’s Note......Page 12 Prologue......Page 16 1 Setting the Stage......Page 22 2 Methods and Ideology......Page 44 3 Policing the Clergy......Page 81 4 Policing the Left......Page 102 5 Policing Wisconsin......Page 123 6 Vigilantism......Page 159 Epilogue......Page 185 Appendix: Biographical Information of Justice Department Investigators in Wisconsin......Page 192 Notes......Page 196 Bibliography......Page 236 B......Page 252 C......Page 253 E......Page 254 G......Page 255 I......Page 256 J......Page 257 L......Page 258 N......Page 259 P......Page 260 S......Page 261 V......Page 262 W......Page 263 Z......Page 264 During the First World War it was the task of the US Department of Justice, using the Espionage Act and its later Sedition Act amendment, to prosecute and convict those who opposed America's entry into the conflict. This book shows that the Justice Department did not stop at this official charge but went much further.