The American Protective League - 250,000 storm troopers on the streets

[denem]

in 1918. 1n 600 cities.

"The American Protective League was a quasi-private organization with 250,000 members in 600 cities who were sanctioned by the Wilson administration. These men carried Government Issue badges and freely conducted warrantless searches and interrogations. This organization was empowered by the U.S. Justice Department to spy on Americans for anti-government/anti war behavior. As national police, the APL checked up on people who failed to buy Liberty Bonds and spoke out against the government’s policies."

"Organized with the Approval and operating under the direction of the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Investigation."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidency_of_Woodrow_Wilson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Protective_League

[leftstreet]

1. And they were actually stupid enough to pay dues

Paid for the privilege of taking down labor and anti-war movements.

Early Freepers?

[denem]

2. Oh - People will pay to kick heads and interrogate. Youbetcha!

[Davis_X_Machina]

7. American Freikorps.

We're training the new generation in Iraq.

[Captain Hilts]

3. The red scare got ugly and someone trying to blow up Wilson's right wing AG, A. Mitchell Palmer..

almost blew up the folks who lived across the street - Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, who narrowly avoided the explosion.

Wilson was a right wing crank and that folks here idolize him have me baffled.

[denem]

4. "It can't happen here".

[damntexdem]

5. Another war of choice for the U.S. And draconian "laws" in the "homeland."

One result: the great flu epidemic was much worse than it need have been because the military ran roughshod over public health (no quarantine of exposed troops) and censorship kept information about the flu and what to do about (largely quarantine) it from the public. And it came back on the country with a vengeance after the war had ended.

Yeah, that protective league really protected, didn't it?

So a flu that started in Kansas was known as the Spanish Flu. Why? Because Spain wasn't involved in the war, so did not censor newspaper reporting on the flu, and the combatant countries did not censor reporting of a flu in Spain. Almost as ironic as calling stormtroopers a "protective league."

[endarkenment]

6. The crap 'liberal hero' Wilson pulled was astounding.