The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-21
Sensational Italian Jour
nal Deprived of Use of
Mails by Postmaster
General.
Congress to Be Asked for
Law Relieving Country
of Anarchistic Pub
licatiOnS.

y new crusade against anarchy ha.
been begun by the Government. Il
Questione Sociale, an anarchistic Ital
ian newspaper published in Paterson
n. j.. was today barred from th'
United States mails by order OF tn,
Postmaster General under authority
conferred upon him by the postal regu
lations, relative 20 immoral matter
Blacks law dictionary defines i'm
moral as contrary TO good morals
inconsistent with the rules and princI
pies Of morality which regard men al
living in a community, and which arr
Necessary Tor the hlblic welfare. order
and decency."
The anarchist sheet against which this
action is taken by many is thought te
have been directly responsible for tn,
murder of Father Leo by a Black Hand
fanatic In Denver several weeks ago
through the publication Of Iurid denun,
Citations Of the Government and ad.
Vocacy Of assassination and arson.
Fight on Such Literature.
a vigorous campaign will be inau.
gurated Immediately 10 stop the circuIa-
lion of innammatory and seditious lit
erature OF this character. FOLLOWING
closely on the circular issued by Secre.
tary OF Commerce ana Labor Straus,
relative TO the deportation OF anarchists
from the United States, this latest move
against the Reds may be taken as a
signiiicent indication OF a tardy ven-
Eeaucc on the part or the Government
for Black Hand and other anarcbigtlc
oulreges, and the second step toward q
new policy Of rigor and repression.
Postmaster General Never today said.
Excessively infiammatory utteran,as
IN recent issues OF La QUESTION: soclsle
We're brought 10 my attention by Third
Assistant Postmaster General I.aUsba
The particular issue which I had trans.
lated from Italian advocated robbery OF
United States armOTIes, seizure OF guns
and ammunition, purchase Of dynamite
and. by murder Of police and soldierv
and firing Of cities, the overthrow OF
government.
Influence Ignorant.
THE fuIminatIons Of such publications
as this are distinctly contrary 10 good
order and public welfare such periodi-
Gals keep alive and foster seeds Of seii-
ton by influencing the ignorant and
stirring up discomfort and treason.
THE department has information that
La QuesJiOne SOclale does not comply
with the statutes which authorize the
sending of newspapers through the
mail at the second class rate
IN the case Of Ia QuestiOne SOciale
the matter IS one Of deliberate and ina e.
licious' intent Therefore, 1 am serving
the best interests Of the people by re
fUsing the second-cIass privilege"
Heretofore no action has apparently
been taken by The Postmaster General
TO efectUaily debar anaTchistic publi-
cations of this character from the
United States mails. No Postmaster
General has heretofore cared to assume
the responsibility Of such a step.
Officials POwerless.
Although postoffce officials were cog
infant that the United States Govern
neut was unwittingly aiding in the
spread OF anaTchistic propaganda by
circulation Of their periodicals and
and in this way virtually
assisting the cause, they have been
Dowerless until Postmaster General
Meyer delved into the matter with his
energy and found the means.
La QUESTION: SOciale is printed in
Italian, and probably the foremost an
archistic organ in the country-certain-
ly the most boldly denunciatory. 1t Is
credited with $1,000 circulation. going
into every state in toe United States
and is issued from Paterson, n. J., Tho
great hotbed OF anarchy IN the United
States.
Debarment from the second-class
privilege practically means that La
QUESTION: SOciaIe will be forced 10 dis
continue publication, as the cost Of
sending out $1,000 under the third class
rate would be prohibitive.
Paper Threatens President.
It is understood that there is another
paper of somewhat similar character
published in Kansas. which is now be-
ng closely scTutiniZed by postonice Of
icials. This sheet is published in Eng
ish, and the feature TO which particular
objection is made is the campaign
which the publishers are inaugurating
for subscriptions in the United States
army, In which they use as a slogan,
We must undermine the army" This
publication has violently attacked the
President and recently with thiniV
relied words threatened his life.
In all likelihood Congress will be
sked for a new law by which anar-
-histIc publications may in the future,
,e regulated. The present postal LAVE
irevent the sending Of immoral" ma1-
er on the outside of wrappers, or where
+ is visible in going through the mail
There seems TO be no statute which
peCificany names anaTChistic utteranceS
s thus debarred though the reguIa-
ions IN force now cover the subject
yith sufficient exaCtness to permit the
Postmaster General to proceed in the
natter However, as a determined fight
gill undoubtedly. be made by publish
rs OF dehaTTed periodicals. Congress
vii probably be asked to enact a def
lite law absolutely prohibiting anar-
histic matter from the mails