File
Pitt Co.

Office of the Attorney General,
Washington, D.C.

August 22, 1918.

Hon. T. W. Bickett,
Governor of the State of North Carolina.
Raleigh, North Carolina.

My dear Governor:

I have given consideration to your letter of the 12th instant, stating that because of certain expressions in one of his reports which has come to your notice Special Agent Phillips of this Department, stationed in North Carolina, has rendered himself persona non grata to you, and that in consequence you can not cooperate with him in the enforcement of the draft law; wherefore you request his withdrawal from service in North Carolina.

Cooperation between Federal and State officials in the enforcement of the draft law is, of course, highly desirable. It is equally evident that I should not ask the Governor of a State to cooperate with an agent of this Department who has rendered himself persona non grata. I shall therefore, in accordance with your request, withdraw Special Agent Phillips from general service in the State of North Carolina. Of course I could not detach him from specific cases which are still uncompleted and in the further prosecution of which his services are essential to the ends of justice.

I quite agree that the expression of opinion by Special Agent Phillips to which you have taken exception was an improper one.

Respectfully,

T. W. Gregory
Attorney General.