The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1913-04-12

~ANY OF our readers, no doubt. are
UlII familiar with the Appeal TO
W Reason. a Socialist paper pub
llshed at Glrard, Kan. and hay.
Ing a weekly circulation Of something
like half million copies.
Those who know the paper know Il
rs an aggressive champion Of the So
elallst propaganda For the past sew.
aral years its aggressiyeness has led
AZ into numerous encounters with the
federal courts and for the last fiye
(years, at least. II has seldom been
Tree from grand jury indictments Tor
Dne thing or another.
II was on May Z. 1907. that Fred ID.
Warren. editor OF the Appeal, was FIRST
arrested on an indictment charging
him with having transgressed the post
al laws by mailing a reward for the
capture OF Ex-Governor William s.
Taylor, a fugitive from Kentucky. This
case was fought out In the lower
eourts, taken to the United States
eourt OF appeals, the decision being
rendered against the Appeal editor In
zach case, and finally resulted in an
hnsohcited pardon az the hands OF
president Taft. The following years
were TO be stormy ones for the Appeal,
#for Eve years later, Warren, Wayland
And Phlfer, all three editors OF the
Appeal, were arrested on an indict.
snent from the federal court at Fort
Scott, Kan. charging them with breach
Iof the postal laws by having mailed a
report Of the disclosures made by them
concerning conditions az the federal
prison at Fort Leavenworth. printed
in the Appeal OF April 20. 1911. This
case has been called time and again
since the action was first brought. but
has Just as regularly been postponed
BY the prosecution. II is on the calen'
dar now for the May term OF the fed
eralI court at Fort Scott.
Tb relate in detail the various Incl.
dents OF interest growing out OF these
prosecutions, recount the charges and
counter charges, subsequent suits for
alleged contempt and obstruction OF
Justice, etc, etc. would require the
services OF some one more familiar
), with the Appeal then we are. or a per
sonal interview with the editors and
publishers; but this in brief. is a
synopsis Of proceedings which brought
about a suit by J. !. Sheppard, attor-
ney for the Appeal. against Harry ].
Bone, United States district attorney,
who has fathered, all the government
prosecutions against the Appeal 10
Reason. The suit Is for malicious
prosecution" and dispositions were
taken az Girard, Kan, March 27th. be-
forA Probate Judge Dowd. OF that city.
and II IL the results OF this hearing
about which the Menace wishes TO
spdak.
NFe wish Il to be understood in the
outket that the Menace makes no pre-
TENSE at knowing the trdfh of the Ap-
peyI's many contentious as 70 the ma
licliousness OF the prosecutions against
itJ neither do We wish TO have this
cd1nstrued as defense Of the Appeals
pfbsition, or OF Socialism. for the Men
dee has no partisan preferences nor
takes partisan stand In matters politi-
skal; but We do stand unalterably COM
limited TO the principle Of free speech
and free press. and We claim the right
20 protect our interests where they be
I come involved with Socialists the same
Has n they were involved with demo
IIcrats or republicans. and q conspiracy
Z 20 destroy the Appeal 20 Reason is no
better than q conspiracy TO destroy
any other business. II that conspiracy
Is malicious and contrary TO Law.
f1or the past six months the Menace
has. been threatened with practically
the same kind Of persecution that has
befAlIen the Appeal 20 Reason. and a
greA many Of our readers are aware