The Brain Trust. Pinks, every one of them.
But first the war.
Hull looked up at the brigadier. “Needless to say, General, your memorandum is very disturbing.”
“The information was disturbing to me, Mr. Secretary.”
“No doubt. No doubt.… The question would appear to be, Is there any foundation for your conclusions? I mean, anything concrete?”
“I believe so, sir.”
“How many others in Intelligence know about this, Ellis?” Brayduck interrupted and the absence of the word “General” was not lost on the brigadier.
“I’ve spoken to no one. I didn’t think I’d be speaking to anyone but the secretary this morning, to be perfectly frank with you.”
“Mr. Brayduck has my confidence, General Ellis. He’s here at my request.… My orders, if you like.”
“I understand.”
Cordell Hull leaned back in his chair. “Without offense, I wonder if you do.… You send a classified memorandum, delivered under the highest priority to this office—to my own person, to be exact—and the substance of what you say is nothing short of incredible.”
“A preposterous charge you admit you can’t prove,” interjected Brayduck, sucking on his pipe as he approached the desk.
“That’s precisely why we’re here.” Hull had requested Brayduck’s presence but he was not going to suffer undue interference, much less insolence.
Brayduck, however, was not to be put off. “Mr. Secretary, Army Intelligence is hardly without its inaccuracies. We’ve learned that at great cost. My only concern is to prevent another inaccuracy, a misinformed speculation, from becoming ammunition for this administration’s political opponents. There’s an election less than four weeks away!”
Hull shifted his large head no more than several inches. He did not look at Brayduck as he spoke. “You don’t have to remind me of such pragmatic considerations.… However, I may have to remind you that we have other responsibilities.… Other than those to practical politics. Do I make myself clear?”
“Of course.” Brayduck stopped in his tracks.
Hull continued. “As I understand your memorandum, General Ellis, you submit that an influential member of the German High Command is an American citizen operating under the assumed name—and a name well-known to us—of Heinrich Kroeger.”
“I do, sir. Except that I qualified my statement by saying he might be.”
“You also imply that Heinrich Kroeger is associated with, or connected to, a number of large corporations in this country. Industries involved with government contracts, armaments appropriations.”
“Yes, Mr. Secretary. Except, again, I stated that he was, not necessarily is.”
“Tenses have ways of becoming blurred with such accusations.” Cordell Hull took off his steel-rimmed spectacles and placed them beside the folder. “Especially in time of war.”
Undersecretary Brayduck struck a match and spoke between puffs on his pipe. “You also state quite clearly that you have no specific proof.”
“I have what I believe would be termed circumstantial evidence. Of such a nature I felt I’d be derelict in my duty if I didn’t bring it to the secretary’s attention.” The brigadier took a deep breath before continuing. He knew that once he began he was committed.
“I’d like to point out a few salient facts about Heinrich Kroeger.… To begin with, the dossier on him is incomplete. He’s received no party recognition as most of the others have. And yet when others have come and gone, he’s remained at the center. Obviously he has a great deal of influence with Hitler.”
“We know this.” Hull did not like restatements of known information simply to bolster an argument.
“The name itself, Mr. Secretary. Heinrich is as common as William or John, and Kroeger no more unusual than Smith or Jones in our own country.”
“Oh, come, General.” Brayduck’s pipe was curling smoke. “Such an inference would make half our field commanders suspect.”
Ellis turned and gave Brayduck the full benefit of his military scorn. “I believe the fact is relevant, Mr. Undersecretary.”
Hull began to wonder if it had been such a good idea to have Brayduck present. “There’s no point in being hostile, gentlemen.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way, Mr. Secretary.” Brayduck again would not accept a rebuke. “I believe my function here this morning is that of the devil’s advocate. None of us, least of all you, Mr. Secretary, have the time to waste …”
Hull looked over at the undersecretary, moving his swivel chair as he did so. “Let’s make the time. Please continue, General.”