Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-11-11

cause not only are none Of them direct
~ guilty. bat. knowing beforehand the
precise time the attempt would be
made, they each and AL have taken ex-
eellent care 10 be at that moment in
other places and in the presence of per-
sons whose evidence would suffice 70
clear them If accused. The alibi is
thus their irrefutabie defense. and,
while the local police are vainly ex-
pending their energy and sagacity. the
real murderer has returned 70 his safe
retreat. as much beyond the danger OF
detection rs II he had never been born.
Does the shadow of a doubt exist, I
would fain ask the thoughtful reader,
but that the several murders SO lately
committed in Pennsylvania, when
American foremen in charge of Hun
garian laborers were hurried into eter-
nifty, and the responsibility for which
could never be placed, were actually ac-
complished by the methods have de-
scribed?
No less dangerous Is the organ
ization existing among the Poles,
who are found In large numbers In
the environs of Chicago, In Michigan
and other northwestern states. 1t Is
the outcome of the revolutionary spirit
which permeated Poland after the dis
memberment of that unfortunate coun-
try, and had for its motive the protec-
ton of the oppressed natives against
the tyranny of the conqueror. Banded
together in self-defense under the
watchword Of patriotism, and largely
recruited from the ranks Of those gal
liant agriculturists who, under the lead
ership of Martin Langiewicz. defied
with their scythes the sabers and bayo-
nets OF Russias troops, the Society Of
Scythemen," as it is called, while re-
tanning in great part its original men,
bership, altered its aims when trans
ferred to fresh sphere of action in the
new world. When the scythemen, in
short, left Poland for America they be-
gan to forget all about Polish indepen-
dence and the memory Of Kosciusko.,
They did not, however, cease to main
tain the spirit Of their secret brother
hood, and, carrying its general princi-
Piles of organization with them, adapted
the latter to their environment. Here
the whole trouble lay, for these Polish
Americans failed TO discriminate be-
tween the despotism from which they
had ned and the free government which
welcomed them as citizens Anything
which in their eyes took the form
Of legalized authority was at
once to be condemned, and it did
not matter that this authority
took the form of capital employing
labor, to them 1t was hope)essly sug-
gestive of tyranny all the same. The
scythemen. now grown communistic
above all things, gradually developed
into something infinitely worse. For
the purer ideals Of communism soon
gave place to q theory and practice Of
absolute degradation. Secret lodges
sprang into existence, and multiplied,
being in reality nothing more or less
than blackmail associ atoms. The feas-
Utility Of utilizing the order for the pur-
pose of blackmaiing their more fortu-
nate and thrifty fellow countrymen
who had committed the crime of get
ting on well in the new world quickly
became apparent. Weu-to-do Poles
have disappeared in several parts Of the
west within recent years with compare
tive frequency, and were, say many
people who have the opportunity for In
side observation, simply removed" by
the scythemen. 1 do not absolutely
guarantee the correctness of this as
sumption, but it is certainly prevalent
among the better Glasses Of Poles with
whom have come in contact The or
ganization is radical throughout
radical in tho most extreme sense of
the word, including murder. boycotting
and the destruction of the property of
obnoxious persons.
There is yet another class OF foreign
ers who like the Poles consider them