The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1917-10-02
OFFICERS ARE
ROUNDING Up |. v. v.
MANY ARRESTS FOLLOW
BLANKET INDICTMENT.
/. w. w. Treachery, Declares
Official Who Brands Organi-
zatiOn as Degenerate.


turn of a blanket indictment charg-
ing nationwide conspiracy to
hamper the government during the
war. was made today in the United
States District court here against
l66 leaders of the Industrial Work
ers of the World.
Almost before the discharge of the
jury, deputy marshals were on their
way to the local I. w. w head
quarters in automobiles donated
and driven by women, and quickly
returned TO the federal building.
bringing prisoners with them.
In the first hour thirty-five men
We're thus hailed into the marshars
Office and later questioned by in
vestigators for the department Of
Justice. Among the first was Viii
liam u. Haywood secretary of the
national organization Of the l. w.
w. who was questioned ScUtombo"
,. whom the headquarters of the I.
w. w in various cities were raided
Ly the government.
An explanatory statement issued
by the government attorneys. who
have directed the investigation of
the seditious conspiracy, the crime
of which the men named in the in
dictments are accused, said:
The prosecutions are under sec
tions G. 10 and 81 of the criminal
code and under the espionage act
Only leaders in COnspira Cies or those
personally culpable in connection
with the perpetratiOn of crimes
against the United States are in.
cluded as defendants"
To make sure Of the arrest of the
indicted men no hint Of their names
was permitted 10 escape during the
court proceedings, which consisted
OF a statement from the foreman oi
the federal grand jury that its la
bors had been completed, the hand
ing of a bulky sheaf of indictments
to clerk OF the court and few
words from Judge Evans thanking
the jurors for their sacrifice OF time
and effort.
l. W. W. "Dcecncratc."
Commenting on the fact that the
indictment was aimed at none bu
II. w w. members. w. c. Fits. as.
sistant United States attorney gen
eral, gave this definition of the I. w
w:
The l. w w differs from So.
cialist and from every form Of legit-
innate labor organization. The !. w
w is a degenerate; its doctrine is
treachery built on the teaching OF
the employment OF secret and covert
destructive methods intended 10
wreck the employer and through
destruction of production and trans
portation, disable society and the
government itself. the object at this
time being TO render the enemy
stronger and our dear country weak
in the resistance of that strength. "
Held i'm Default OF Bail.
After he had been questioned by
Hinton G. Clabaugh. of the depart
ment Of Justice Haywood was held
in default of $4,000 bail Others
also apprehended in Chicago and
held In default of 10000 bail
were: Richard Brazier, OF Chicago.
Spokane and elsewhere, member of
the general executive board OF the
l. w. w: George Anreychine. of
Chicago. Duluth and elsewhere,
manager OF the l. W. w. publicity
bureau, Chicago; Ralph f. Chaplin.
editor and manager OF the "Soli-
darity": Vladimir Lossieff, Chi
cago; Bert Lorton. Chicago. man
ager recruiting union; Charles
Rofhsher. editor "A Bergumkas."
Chicago and Cleveland; Charles
Plahm. Chicago and Detroit; Her
bert Mailer. Seattle and Chicago.
After the first automobile loads
had reached the federal building
more persons were taken into Gus
tody until approximately $50 had
been brought in to be questioned.
Sixteen were taken in a second de-
scent on the /. w. w. headquarters.
AS fast as the ten were questioned
they were returned to the custody of
the marshal. Many of them were
taken to the county Jail for the