The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-07
Documents Seized in Federal
Raids Prove Conspiracy.
Anti-Draft, Crop Burning,
Strikes Involved in 1t.
TRAIL OF KAISER'S GOLD
Money Lavishly Supplied for
Work of Conspirators.
Organized on Nationwide Basis
Headquarters at Chicago.

Washington, Sept. 7.-Reports and
disclosures made to officials here in
connection with the seizure Wednes-
day of I. w. w. documents thruout
the country indicate, it was said to-
day, that there has existed for some
| time a nation wide conspiracy to ham
per the government in almost every
conceivable way in carrying on the
war.
Opposition to the draft law, burning
of crops some of the so-called labor
disturbances and attempts to curtail
production in war industries, reports
| indicate, were all part Of the same
alleged conspiracy whose prime mo-
| tive was thought to be the crippling
of the governments activities every
way possible short of interference
with military and naval operations.
| The investigation begun by the fed
eral grand jury at Chicago in con-
nection with Wednesdays raid on I.
w. w. offices thruout the country will
go into all phases of the alleged con-
! spiracy. Officials today said that it
probably would be the most compre-
hensive investigation undertaken on
/ behalf of the government since this
countrys entrance into the war.
Have Letters and Checks.
Tens of thousands of letters, checks
and other documents in the possession
| of federal authorities. will be placed
! before the grand jury at Chicago or
other grand juries which later may
| investigate ramificationS of the alleg-
ed conspiracy.
1t was intimated today that the gov
ernment's theory is that the alleged
| conspiracy was entered into in Chi
cago, altho it's operations extended to
virtually every section of the United
| States.
| In the light of reports made recently
| to officials here. the numerous in
stances of opposition at widely scat
| tered points to the draft law were part
of the general alleged conspiracy and
were prompted by the same set of
men.
Burning of wheat fields and at
tempts to burn spruce forests in the
| Pacific northwest, it as thought,
were but another phase of the alleged
general conspiracy. Dozens of sporadic
attempts to cripple war industries by
strikes and acts of violence are re-
garded as a third phase. Publication
of articles designed to create anti-war
sentiment or anti-ally sentiment were
a fourth phase, it is thought of the
! same general movement.
Had Executive Board.
Indications point, it was said, to a
group of men considerable in number
who, constituting what might be term
| ed the executive force of the alleged
conspiracy, directed all its activities
thru ieutenants
The department of justice officials
said today that the investigation
probably will be prolonged. United
States Attorney Clyne is to be assisted
by Frank c. Daley of Indianapolis
and Frank K. Nebeker of Salt Lake
City, and the entire investigation will
be conducted under the personal su-
pervision of William c. Fits, assist
ant attorney general, under whose di-
rection the seizure of l. W. w. doc
uments was made.
Mr.. Fits will make daily reports to
Attorney General Gregory. Many evil
dences, it is said point to a German
fund from which money was lavishly
supplied for work of the alleged con-
spirators. Heretofore the connection
between German funds and activities
of persons apparently hostile to the
government had not been established
United States attorneys in many sec
tions of the country were today max
| ing a minute study of the documents
taken in the recent raids.