The sun., 1917-08-22
WOODS URGES LAW
TO STOP SEDIYI0N
Commissioner Writes to ROOse.
velt That Police Are Ham
pered in Work.
STATUTE IS INADEQUATE
Courts Will Act Only'in Most
Serious Cases of
Treason.

Police Commissioner Arthur Woods
terday telling him OF the activities Of
the police in their efforts to curb sedi-
t!ous and reasonable utterances by
soapbox and other orators. He also
reviewed the activities OF his men in
ferreting out German spies. Mr.. Woods
complains that the laws under which
he may proceed are inadequate. His
letter follows.
DEAR Col. RoosEvELr-Your letter
OF August II has been received. Ever
since the European war started, in Au-
gust 1914. this department has been
active in trying to prevent the work Of
enemy spies In this city. There has
been a good deal Of such work at
tempted. and In cooperation with the
Federal agents We have been successful
In circumventing a considerable amount
Of It.
Since this country has been in the
war our work along these lines has re-
doubled In vigor and has brarched out
In new directions to meet the new con.
diticns One Of these new conditions
is the matter Of street speaking.
Lawful street Meetings.
THE right to hold meetings in the
street Is OF course clear. feOple may
gather and speak their minds. and the
police are bound to protect them in this
right. So long as the gathering Is con-
Quoted lawfully. not interfering with the
rights OF others. not blocking the streets
or sidewalks so as to prevent others
from using them and not melting to vio-
lence. the police will continue to per-
init lawful street meetings.
I'm war times, however. some of these
~ 4
see what. under the changed conditions
constitutes Indictment to violence and in
reference with the rights OF others. Is
! II lawful to hold street meetings which
apparently have the sinister purpose Of
trying to weaken our country in it's hour
| OF stress?
Meetings In the street may seem
comparatively peaceful and harmless,
and would be SO in normal times.
yet they may have the effect Of sowing
seeds OF disloyalty in the minds Of some
Of those that listen. This sort Of work
| by enemies in our midst. furtive. veiled
| and probably bought. can have a more
| weakening effect on the war strength Of
the country than the big guns Of enemies
| In the field.
lnadeQuRcy of the Laws.
III treason is preached in our streets
an immediate arrest will. OF course be
| made. And we have the United States
statute dealing with treason, which pro-
vides the punishment Of death. But the
United States authorities have advised
, US that under this statute the courts will
| hold only mos serious cases which
would Justify the extreme penalty.
80 far no utterance Of any street
speaker that has been reported to me
foil i,r Alrio al tp tk>a
Federal law that applies unless we can
prove interference or attempt to inter-
fere with the military or naval forces Of
the United States.
| III there Is talk on the street. there
fore. which though clearly of n seditious
nature cannot be classed as treason
under the statute. we have to fall back
on our local statutes that prohibit con-
duct seriously disturbing or endangerng
the public peace or disorderly conduct
leading to n breach OF the peace. Right
laws provide no way to proceed against
seditious propaganda in the streets
unless the seditious person Is also dis
orderly.
Federal statute Needed.
IF disloyal preaching is to be effec-
lively prevented in this country a
Federal statute should be enacted maxi
ing criminal any sort Of propaganda
printed or spoken, In favor OF the enemy
or tending to weaken our country in its
struggle for democracy and for the right
Of free nations to exist.
whether or not the speaker in ques-
tion might have been found guilty OF
disorderly conduct. the case you men,
tion in your letter was badly handled
Mr. Moffett should have arrested the
speaker or called on an officer to arrest
him. or applied to N ,istrate for a
warrant. And II a.. one Of the
officers present had heard talk tina
: seemed a violation Of law he SHOULD
have presented either a prisoner or q
statement of facts to a Magistrate ant
let him decide
I'VE have been giving earnest ant
! vigorous attention to this matter in al