by Steve Newman

Created on: October 08, 2009

By December 1942, just two months after he began, Hemingway's spying activities in Cuba, and in the Gulf of Mexico - paid for with local FBI money - were coming under scrutiny from J. Edgar Hoover himself. In a confidential memo from Hoover, of December 17th 1942, to FBI Agent D.M. Ladd, the Bureau Chief writes:

"Any information which you may have relating to the unreliability of Ernest Hemingway as an informant may be discreetly brought to the attention of ambassador Braden. In this respect it will be recalled that recently Hemingway gave information concerning the refuelling of submarines in Caribbean waters which has proved unreliable. I desire that you furnish me at an early date results of your conversations with Ambassador Braden concerning Ernest Hemingway and his aides and their activities."

Agent Ladd replied to J. Edgar Hoover the same day:

" Hemingway has been accused of being of communist sympathies, although we are advised that he has denied and does vigorously deny any communist affiliation or sympathy. Hemingway is reported to be personally friendly with Ambassador Braden, and he is reported to enjoy the ambassador's complete confidence.

" Ambassador Braden, as you will recall, is a very impulsive individual and he apparently has had a bee in his bonnet for some time concerning alleged graft and corruption on the part of certain Cuban officials.

" Agent Leddy has advised that Hemingway's activities have branched out and that he and his informants are now engaged in reporting to the Embassy various types of information concerning subversive activities generally. Mr Leddy stated that he has become quite concerned with respect to Hemingway's activities and that they are undoubtedly going to be very embarrassing unless something is done to stop them.

" Mr Leddy has advised that Hemingway is apparently undertaking a rather involved investigation with regard to Cuban officials prominently connected with the Cuban Government, including General Manuel Benitez Valdes, head of the Cuban National Police; that he, Agent Leddy, is sure that the Cubans are eventually going to find out about this if Hemingway continues operating, and that serious trouble may result.

" Mr Leddy stated that he can point out to the ambassador that he 'has not checked any reports from Hemingway concerning corruption in the Cuban Government; that he does not feel that Bureau agents should become involved in any such investigations, it being entirely without our jurisdiction and

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