In his book Young J. Edgar, Washington lawyer Kenneth Ackerman describes how J. Edgar Hoover’s career took off in 1919, when he led the Palmer Raids -- a crackdown on civil liberties designed to rid the country of anarchists and communists. Not long after, he was chosen to run the FBI.
Young J. Edgar is available for purchase at amazon.com
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Kenneth Ackerman
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Comments [4]
Wild Bill Donovan was once Hoover's superior when Donovan was Deputy AG to Harlan Fiske Stone. He chastised Hoover for eavesdroppping but acceded to his FBI appointment.
Later Donovan as OSS chief and Hoover had major differences. Can you add to this relationship?
Garvan was wealthy by marriage ( Brady daughter). Besides Hoover's boss, he was Alien Property Custodian and gave the confiscated Germna chemical patents to himself, via the Chemical Foundation, that controlled these henceforth, making himself another fortune and controlling much of what became the American chemical industry.
Is not this confiscation equally as important hsitorically as the Palmer raids?
Garvan also funded Palmer's run for President
Francis P Garvan was Hooever's boss at the time, he is a fascinating character in is own right. What can you add to our knowledge of him?
My father was an FBI agent in the late '30's-early '40's. Some years ago we asked my mother whether it was true that J. Edgar Hoover liked to dreess in women's clothes.
"Of course, everyone knew that." was her reply.
Can you ask your guest whether this really was true.
Thanks.
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