The Washington times., 1915-07-23
THE PLEA OF mo LAW"

torney General of the United States,
being asked if the Department of
Justice were investigating the
charges that German agents have
been fomenting labor troubles in this
country, replied that there was
nothing to investigate. If the
charges were true, they would point
to the violation of no law. There is
no law to prevent such a thing.
It would be worth while to know
in how many States there is any
such law. In ordinary times and
ordinary labor troubles, the subject
would be one for the States to
handle. In the present case of ma
tion-wide industrial difficulties which
are widely believed to have been de-
liberately fomented, organized,
bought and paid for, by alien agents
and money, it is obvious that there
ought to be Federal authority to
deal with them. The peace and dig
nifty of this nation are threatened by
these contemptuous performances. Is
it possible that an alien nation may
send its agents here and ham string
this country industrially, without
embarrassing it's diplomatic rela-
tions or incriminating the agents?
That would seem to be the case.
Small wonder that this country
possesses in so small degree the re-
spect of others. For years this sort
Of thing has gone on, leading to one
scandal after another; but until now
the idea of a foreign nation using
these means to interfere in Ameri-
can affairs has not been even imag-
ined. The nation was Mortified
when the tremendous dynamite con-
spiracy of the Structural Iron Work.
ers' officials was exposed. Law was
found to deal with it; the law of
conspiracy was invoked, if we recol-
lect Alright. Labor unions were
brought under condemnation because
a few corrupt and vicious officials of
unions engaged in that conspiracy.
The innocent and law-abiding rank
and file of organized labor, victims,
not organizers, of these outrages,
were brought under undeserved sus-
picion. They were entitled to some
protection; laws ought to have
been provided to prevent union Of
fetal betraying his trust; for he is
just as truly trustee as is the head
of a fiscal fiduciary concern. The
case of the California outrages
plotted in Indianapolis, and executed
clear across the continent, should
have inspired effective effort
Through Federal authority, to meet
the need of such situations in fu-
ture. Yet we are told on the high
est authority that there is no such
law.
Intelligent labor union officials
and members will not need to be told
that it is to their interest to have
such law enacted. If the ten thou.
sand innocent members of a unior
may be sold out and delivered by g
little group of officers, who commit
no crime in perpetrating this trea
son to their trust, it is high time
that labor and the country know it
Have there been interests in thi!
country-or out Of it, for that mat
ter-so bent on preserving the privi
lege of corrupting organized labor
that they have prevented the enact
ment of laws whose need is now 81
apparent?
The power to corrupt labor lead
ers and through them betray labol
has been used too often as a means
to domestic violence. Now it threat
ems to be employed as an instrumen
of foreign invasion; weapon tina
can be used without declaring war
an invasion that may be made Will
nominal peace prevails; and there j
no law to prevent!
This is horrible condition.
must not be permitted a day longe
than is absolutely necessary to de
wise means to end it. A nationwide
campaign of incendiarism, treason
bribery, seems to be afoot. 1t in
vades the navy yards to start fire
in our very battleships. 1t place
bombs on ships Of commerce Will
they lie in our harbors, supposedly
under Federal protection. 1t buy
labor organizers, starts strikes, in
/ vents grievances, threatens to tax
the workers even out of Uncle Sam
t own workshops; and yet we are tol
, from the legal department of tn
Government that there is no law t
| stop it, or even to justify an invest
: cation of it!
I'll Confession of the impotence, tn