The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-05-29
BOUNDING UP TRAITORS
Many conspIrators Already Arrested
and Officers Search
For Other
Leaders.
[By Carl D. Groat, United Press Staff
Cnrrasn0nde1lf ]

pESSEa Inc government IS prepared
!lES8 to deal sternly with mer
who spread anti-registratior
or anti-draft propaganda
Department of justice agents are
scattered throughout the land today
on still hunt, continuing their
roundup which already has netted
eleven men and nine indictments. TIC
aid them, congress plans to pass be
fore registration day. the espionage
bill with its maximum penalty oi
prisonment for those who interfere
with recruit work.
The espionage bill was reported
out OF conference today though Its
passage before Thursday or Friday Is
doubtful because of the holiday to-
morrow. The department of Justice
is on trail of an Indicated conspir-
acy to make registration ineffective
in one or two mid-western cities and
it proposes to make it's roundup
thorough and its punishment severe.
Meantime the war department is
prepared to use the national guard If
the anti-registration propaganda as
sumes riot proportions at any point.
A statement from Attorney General
Gregory warns that arrests and in
dictments already obtained Should
be accepted by the country generally
as a warning against interfering with
the enforcement of the provisions of
the new army law"
The men gathered UP in the Vir-
ginia mountain band raid and else
where, will be held on charges of
"seditious conspiracy" though If the
espionage bill passes, new cases will
be dealt with more seriously under
that measure.
According to departmental data.
much of the propaganda originated in
Texas in an organization formed
some time ago ostensibly for CO.
operative buying.
There is, however, the suspicion
that German spies or sym2athizers
have had a hand in the trouble.
First signs of anti-registrationa
trouble developed about three weeks
ago. AT that time the departm ent
found that circulars were being
spread abroad urging against register
ing and against draft.
This insidious campaign had taken
on considerable proportions when the
began yesterday.
Ring Leaders Arrested.
CHICAGO, May 29.-Several al
legged ring leaders of "a <big conspir-
acy to defeat the conscr1ption law on
June five" we're under arrest here to-
day.
Federal officials withheld all de-
tails, but it was believed the prison
ers included three men and two
women.
Hinton G. Ciabaugh. special in
vestigator of the department of JUS
tice said today that the nation wide
plot has "been nipped in the bud"
He admitted that details of the plot
were in his possession, but refused to
divulge them.
The alleged conspirators were to
be questioned by United States Dis
trict Attorney Clyne today.
Asks for Injunction. es
KANSAS CITY, Mo. May pa
request for an injunction to prevent
the state, county and city authorities
from enforcing the select service bill
June S, was filed today with the cir
cult court by Judge ]. d. Shewalter,
attorney for the so-called federation
for democratic control, pacifist or
ganization.
The petitioners for the Injunction
are Thomas r. Sullivan and Ray
mond I. Moore. Moore is the hus-
band Of Miss Leonora Warneson,
school teacher, whose pacffist activi-
ties among her students brought her
publicity last winter.
The public in general was caution
ed by Francis M. Wilson, United