The Long View - survey: F.B.I. correspondence, and events that might have been averted

National Review, June 17, 2002 by Rob Long

Through the years with the FBI mailbag . . .

--From the division circular, Chicago office, May 16, 1924:

a couple of interesting characters by the name of Leopold and Loeb, who seem at least upon first observation to be up to some kind of unsavory activity, though what, specifically and exactly, is unclear. Both are of diminutive aspect, though one is clearly the brains of the duo. Suspicions of inverted activity gave this investigator pause, in addition to a peculiar conversation overheard in the local general supply store. Keep a jaundiced eye out for these two jokers . . .

-- A telegram from the New Jersey field office, February 20, 1932:

URGENT FIELD REPORT STOP SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY REPORTED STOP RUMOURS UNCOVERED OF WICKED PLOT STOP PRUDENT TO ALERT LOCAL CONSTABLES STOP QUESTION SHOULD ADVISE LINDBERGH FAMILY STOP QUESTION POST SENTRIES ALONG LINDBERGH HOUSE GROUNDS STOP QUESTION REMOVE CONVENIENTLY PLACED LADDER FROM SIDE OF HOUSE AT LEAST STOP AWAIT INSTRUCTIONS STOP PLEASE ADVISE EARLIEST POSSIBLE STOP

-- A postcard from Honolulu, December 2, 1941:

A big "Aloha!" -- that's "Hiya!" in Hawaiian -- to everyone back in chilly Washington! The weather here is awfully swell, and we're all enjoying the sand 'n' surf. Bob Jr. has taken to riding the waves, Hawaii-style, while Ellen and little Ellie are both the perfect bathing beauties. Awful lot of Japanese around, though, taking pictures and drawing sketches and making little maps and counting battleships -- pretty annoying, actually. Thank God they all left this morning! In a hurry too! Guess they were hungry for Chop Suey! Say "aloha" to Director Hoover for me. Be back on the 17th!

-- A journal entry from February 1950:

-and Ethel and Julius sure do have a lot of interesting friends. I popped by yesterday to deliver some mail that had been mistakenly delivered to me -- the mailman has trouble distinguishing the handwriting on a lot of letters that the Rosenbergs get, I guess, so a lot of it ends up in my box -- and boy, had they gathered an eclectic group. Julius nicely invited me in for a drink (Ethel, I think, wasn't as pleased to see me -- she's kind of stand-offish), and I sat with some of the less beatnik-looking fellows chewing the fat about this and that. Some of them were pretty excited to hear that I was a "G-man," and I have to confess that I laid it on pretty thick! I have to confess that I really livened up their dull gathering -- I had the crowd eating out of the palm of my hand while I was telling them about some of the nifty ways we catch Commies, and before I knew it, it was almost eleven o'clock . . .

-- An intelligence briefing from the Dallas office, October 1963:

-probably just a confused young man shooting his mouth off in a bar. Still, Oswald has recently been spotted practicing at a local shooting range, and his Kennedy-hating comments around town have raised some eyebrows. As a precaution, the Dallas office has pulled his passport file and his military records, and these tend to suggest that he's not just all talk. A stint in Moscow, some dealings with the Soviet mission in Mexico City, and his dishonorable discharge lead us to request clearance to place him under surveillance. Additionally, agents have noticed severe security breaches at the Texas School Book Depository, from which a lone gunman could, potentially, fire on a passing presidential automobile, providing that automobile were of the convertible-top type with the top down. Please route this briefing to the relevant liaison at Secret Service.

-- A telex from the San Francisco office to the Los Angeles office, FeFebruary 3, 1974:

--in receipt of your warning feb 2 in regards kidnapping plot in regards patricia horst current uc berkeley student

--regret to inform no such student registered at uc berkeley under horst patricia

--best regards, sf office

-- A request for lunch expense voucher, Detroit office, July 29, 1975:

Proposed meal type: late brunch

Proposed purpose of meal: discuss possibility of recruiting high-level informant for continuing investigation of organized crime infiltration of Teamsters

Date of proposed meal: tomorrow, 7/30

Place of proposed meal: Machus Red Fox restaurant, Bloomfield Hills, MI

Persons attending proposed meal: Agents (2) and James "Jimmy" Hoffa

Remarks: Subject has signaled a willingness to cooperate with OC investigations in exchange for protective custody. Subject believes an attack on his life is imminent. Subject is in a position to provide substantial and credible intelligence on OC activities in Michigan, and in organized labor in general.

Stamped on request for lunch expense voucher, an undetermined number of weeks later:

DENIED