TW Gregory to Woodrow Wilson
Title
TW Gregory to Woodrow Wilson
Creator
Gregory, Thomas Watt, 1861-1933
Identifier
WWP25545
Date
1918 November 26
Description
Attorney General explains the arrest of the Forstners.
Source
Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
World War, 1914-1918--German Americans
United States. Trading with the Enemy Act
Contributor
Mark Edwin Peterson
Language
English
Provenance
Document scan was taken from Library of Congress microfilm reel of the Wilson Papers. WWPL volunteers transcribed the text.
Text
Office of the Attorney General
Washington, DC
The President,
The White House.
My dear Mr. President:
I am in receipt of your letter of the 23rd instant enclosing a communication from Mr. Henry M. Barry, Secretary to Senator Colt, forwarding a letter written the Senator by Mr. Jerome Hahn, attorney for Wilhelm and Walter Forstner, of Providence, Rhode Island, who some time since were interned by my order.
I hereby submit, in reply to your request, the following memorandum relating to this case:
You will observe that Mr. Hahn complains of two things,- first, of the internment of his clients, and second, of the fact that the Alien Property Custodian obtained from you an executive order declaring these two men to be dangerous alien enemies, later seized their property, and now has advertised it for public sale to take place on November 27th next.
I make no comment on that part of Mr. Hahn's complaint relating to the action of the Alien Property Custodian. So far as the internment is concerned, the facts are briefly there:-
The two Forstners came from Germany and established at Providence, Rhode Island, a large business in cheap jewelry. This business was conducted by them through numerous firms in which they held a controlling, or at least large, interest. Some time prior to our entry into the war these men became objects of considerable suspicion at Providence. Their factories contained a large percentage of workmen whom they brought from Germany, and in their factories and shops there was a great deal of criticism of the attitude of this country throughout the war. At times this criticism took the form of threats and wishes that the White House would be blown up or that somebody would kill the President. These disloyal utterances on the part of workmen continued after the entry of the United States into the war and were a matter of notoriety.
The Forstners had an unusually intimate knowledge of the personnel in their factories and of everything that went on there, and I am satisfied that they knew the tone of their workmen.
Just before we entered the war Walter Forstner set out on a mysterious trip which took him along the Mexican Border and up the Pacific Coast. Although nothing tangible was found to his discredit, the intelligence service has never been satisfied as to the cause of this extraordinary journey on his part. While on this trip he was guilty several vehement attacks on the Government or Government officials.
The chief ground on which these men were interned, however, was the fact that this Department became convinced that they were guilty of having violated the Trading with the Enemy Act. In one of these cases, while their design was clear, they did not carry out their plan to a point where it made prosecution feasible. In another case, while satisfied that they had actually committed crime, the Department was unable, for confidential reasons, to make a case against them.
It was the view of the special agents of this Department that the Forstners were dangerous men and should be interned. The case was delayed here not because of doubt as to the need for interning these men, but in order that unusually full investigation might be made with a view to prosecuting instead of interning them.
Incidentally, there has been a considerable change for the better at Providence since these were interned, and this action did much to clear the air of disloyal talk in that section.
The other question raised by Mr. Hahn, already adverted to, namely, whether in view of the armistice it is necessary or proper to sell out the business interests of these men, is one which does not fall withing my province, and I therefore express no opinion thereon.
Respectfully,
Washington, DC
The President,
The White House.
My dear Mr. President:
I am in receipt of your letter of the 23rd instant enclosing a communication from Mr. Henry M. Barry, Secretary to Senator Colt, forwarding a letter written the Senator by Mr. Jerome Hahn, attorney for Wilhelm and Walter Forstner, of Providence, Rhode Island, who some time since were interned by my order.
I hereby submit, in reply to your request, the following memorandum relating to this case:
You will observe that Mr. Hahn complains of two things,- first, of the internment of his clients, and second, of the fact that the Alien Property Custodian obtained from you an executive order declaring these two men to be dangerous alien enemies, later seized their property, and now has advertised it for public sale to take place on November 27th next.
I make no comment on that part of Mr. Hahn's complaint relating to the action of the Alien Property Custodian. So far as the internment is concerned, the facts are briefly there:-
The two Forstners came from Germany and established at Providence, Rhode Island, a large business in cheap jewelry. This business was conducted by them through numerous firms in which they held a controlling, or at least large, interest. Some time prior to our entry into the war these men became objects of considerable suspicion at Providence. Their factories contained a large percentage of workmen whom they brought from Germany, and in their factories and shops there was a great deal of criticism of the attitude of this country throughout the war. At times this criticism took the form of threats and wishes that the White House would be blown up or that somebody would kill the President. These disloyal utterances on the part of workmen continued after the entry of the United States into the war and were a matter of notoriety.
The Forstners had an unusually intimate knowledge of the personnel in their factories and of everything that went on there, and I am satisfied that they knew the tone of their workmen.
Just before we entered the war Walter Forstner set out on a mysterious trip which took him along the Mexican Border and up the Pacific Coast. Although nothing tangible was found to his discredit, the intelligence service has never been satisfied as to the cause of this extraordinary journey on his part. While on this trip he was guilty several vehement attacks on the Government or Government officials.
The chief ground on which these men were interned, however, was the fact that this Department became convinced that they were guilty of having violated the Trading with the Enemy Act. In one of these cases, while their design was clear, they did not carry out their plan to a point where it made prosecution feasible. In another case, while satisfied that they had actually committed crime, the Department was unable, for confidential reasons, to make a case against them.
It was the view of the special agents of this Department that the Forstners were dangerous men and should be interned. The case was delayed here not because of doubt as to the need for interning these men, but in order that unusually full investigation might be made with a view to prosecuting instead of interning them.
Incidentally, there has been a considerable change for the better at Providence since these were interned, and this action did much to clear the air of disloyal talk in that section.
The other question raised by Mr. Hahn, already adverted to, namely, whether in view of the armistice it is necessary or proper to sell out the business interests of these men, is one which does not fall withing my province, and I therefore express no opinion thereon.
Respectfully,
Original Format
Letter
To
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Files
Collection
Citation
Gregory, Thomas Watt, 1861-1933, “TW Gregory to Woodrow Wilson,” 1918 November 26, WWP25545, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.