American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-12-11
PLACES OR REFUGE

Eight deserters from the United
States army have been discovered at
J~uarez, just across the Rio Grande
river from Ell Paso, and the military
authorities of Fort Bliss are endeay-
oring to lay hands on the cowardly
miscreants. The effort will probably
fail, for it has been the custom from
time immemorial for one nation to
shelter deserters from the army of
another and protect conspirators.
London has harbored nihilists. an
archists and all kinds Of foreign des-
peradoes for generations. under the
plea that they were political refugees
and victims of persecution. Of late
years New York has become a haven
of refuge for such un~desirables. Nj
kolaf Lenine, whose treachery will
cost the United States billions of dol
lars and thousands of lives, was al
lowed to enter this country and take
up his residence in New York. where
he secretly plotted the overthrow Of
all governments and the established
order of things. Many men and wom-
EN- of the same stripe still reside in the
United States.
The theory of former ages was that
a revolutionist was always a patriot
and entitled to protection if he es-
capped form his home country. But
the fact that he could be used to ad-
vantage by the nation granting him
immunity from e~xtradition was also
considered. In future we do not be-
lieve that any such excuses will OBJ
tain and that every anarchist will be
promptly returned to his own country
to answer for whatever crimes he may
have committed, and we hope desert
ers will be included. Two or three
years ago when Great Britain was try
ing to raise a great volunteer army it
was found that there were thousands
of low class foreigners in London who
could not be induced to enlist and who
could not be conscripted in case a
draft law was passed. AS a result
all of the non-producers belonging to
this element were deported. BY this
act the authorities effected a great
saving in food and at the same time
purified London to some extent.
Some Americans were caught in the
dragnet and sent home, where preying
upon the public is much easier than
i'll Europe at the present time. Just
there is a shortage of labor in
the United States and we should not
allow non-producing foreigners to eat
when they do not earn. Moreover,
every idle man among them is certain
t. be a cOnspirator. This is also true
of some of those who work every day,
but the suspicion against them is not
so strong and their labor is product
i've of some good TO the country. Be
fore this time lex year there will be
show down in the United States and
every able-bodied man who is not in
the military service will be compelled
to work. editors of foreign language
newspapers included. Getting an ar
my together in the United States is
slow and expensive work, but now
that We have entered upon the task
all its wants must be supplied and the
men kept in the field until our objects
are accomplished. Unfortunately
there are a few men who have Joined
the colors who are unworthy of the
trust imposed in them and to this class
the eight deserters found in Juarez
The penalty for the crime of
ACoti NAOn III llAlc VI war IS Q6dln, out !
in time of war is death, and
It is TO be hoped the Fort Bliss author
will catch these scoundrels and
an example of them. Yet we do
Dot expect the Mexican officials to
give them up. for the United States
has not been in the habit of returning
1eserters upon demand of foreign
and, in fact, few if any such
demands are made, for a deserter,
across the border, has almost in
rariably been held to be entitled to his
freedom. There are thousands of men
this country who fled from Ger
many in order to escape service in
he army and not a few who deserted
being compelled to join the col
ors.-Salt Lake Tribune
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