My next novel deals with, among other things, the raging prejudice against the pestilent “hyphenates” during World War I. And what were hyphenates? German-Americans, Hungarian-Americans, Polish-Americans. Those folks. Particularly the first group, spurred by the lurid posters you see here.…

Starting research on my third novel, set just before and during World War I, I discover the Espionage Act of 1917 established $10,000 fines and/or 20 year prison sentences for criticizing or saying or writing anything “disloyal, profane, scurrilous or…