an espionage network directed by the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis
and operating against the peace and security of the United States. A
scrutiny of the Nazi Fifth Column[1] in a few European countries,
especially in Czechoslovakia just before that Republic was turned over
to Germany's mercy by the Munich "peace" and in France where Nazi and
Italian agents built an amazing secret underground army, has made the
fascist activities in the Western Hemisphere somewhat clearer to me.

I have included one chapter detailing events which cannot, so far as I
have been able to discover, be traced directly to Nazi espionage; but
it shows the influence of Nazi ideology upon England's now notorious
"Cliveden set," which maneuvered the betrayal of Austria, sacrificed
Czechoslovakia and is working in devious ways to strengthen Hitler in
Europe. The "Cliveden set" has already had so profound an effect upon
the growth and influence of fascism throughout the world, that I
thought it advisable to include it.

The sources for most of the material, by its very nature, naturally
cannot be revealed. Those conversations which I quote directly came
from people who were present when they occurred or, as in the case of
the Cagoulards in France, from official records. In the chapter on
Czechoslovakia I quote a conversation between a Nazi spy and his
chief. The details came to me from a source which in the past I had
found accurate. Subsequently, the spy was arrested by Czech secret
police, and his confession substantiated the conversation as I have
given it.

Much of the material in this volume has been published in various
periodicals from time to time, but so many Americans feel that concern
over Nazi penetration in this country is exaggerated, that I hope even
this brief and incomplete picture will serve to impress the reader, as
it has impressed me, with the gravity of the situation.

J.L.S.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] When the Spanish Insurgents were investing Madrid early in November,
1936, newspaper correspondents asked Insurgent General Emilio Mola which
of his four columns would take the city. Mola replied enigmatically:
"The Fifth Column." He referred to the fascist sympathizers within
Madrid--those attempting to abet the defeat of the Spanish Government by
means of spying, sabotage and terrorism. The term "Fifth Column" is
today widely used to describe the various fascist and Nazi organizations
operat