Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-02
SEIZURE OF l. w. w. DOCUMENTS
GIVES GOVERNMENT CLUE TO
MEN HIGHER UP.
OFFICIALS WILL NOT
SAY SOURCE is GERMAN
investigation Extremely Fruitful =
Force Of More Than t,aeo Mss En-
gagged in Running Down Evidence Of
sedition and DisIoyaIty--service May
Be Crippled by Withholding Funds.

justice investigators are on the trail
leading to the source of the funds
which financed the 10000 crimes of the
l. w. w. and kindred organizations do
ing the kaiser's work in America.
This became known following the re-
turn of Assistant Attorney General
William c. Fits from Chicago. where
he directed the investigation resulting
in the indictment of 166 leaders and
members of the I. w. WI for offenses
against the government.
Mr.. Fits spent several hours In con-
ference with Attorney General Gregory
and Bruce Helaski. chief of the depart
ment's bureau of investigation. While
plans for the prosecution of the In
dicted men were discussed the confer
ence was devoted more particularly to
the new lines of inquiry opened up by
the Chicago investigation.
Clues Point to Source.
Clues obtained in the voluminous
mass of documents seized in the raids
on the I. w. w. headquarters In Chi
cago and elsewhere. reinforced by dam
aging admissions already made by sew
eral of the prisoners, have pointed the
way to the source of funds employed
to harry and ohstruct the government
in the conduct Of the war.
Whether the evidence so far collected
indicates that German agent or
agents supplied the funds is ques-
ton none of the department of justice
officials would discuss. Mr.. Fits con-
tented himself with the comment that
the Chicago investigation had been ex-
tremely fruitful in revealing the extent
Of the plot against the government, and
that new avenues of inquiry OF great
interest are being pursued.
It is expected that before the accused
are brought to trial the government VII
be able to identify the directing genius
of the gigantic conspiracy. which APP
pears from the evidence already In
hand to have extended into almost ev-
cry state of the union.
Bio Secret Service Force.
A force of more than 1000 secret SER
vice men Is now engaged in running
down evidence Of sedition and disloyal-
ty In all parts Of the country. While
ample provision has been made for this
necessary intelligence service under the
civil jurisdiction, congress has refused
to make adequate provision for similar
mac hinery under the military jurisdic-
ton. So serious is this situation that
the conference committee on national
today issued the follow
ing statement:
..Disregarding the urgent plea of Mai.
Gen. Tasker H. Bliss. acting chief of
STAFF, and the recommendation Of Sec
rotary Baker. the house committee on
appropriations has failed to report the
appropriation of $489.000 for the mill
tary intelligence section Of the general
staff.
Handicaps General Psrshlng.
'4f congress stands by the report of
its committee it not only means the
Gripping of a branch OF the service
that Is of increasing Importance, but 1t
means a serious handicap on General
Pershins.
ut is inconceivable that congress
will, thru false sense of economy.
limit the scope of intelligence work at
the very moment when the intercepted
sunk without trace kilograms from the
German minister at Argentina to the
Swedish foreign Office emphasize the
need for expanding this department
rapidly.
General Pershings observers also
are part of the intelligence service.
Tney supply the commander of the
army with information on which Gen.
eral Pershing must base his tactical
decisions.
Even here in Washington In tie de-
partments spies are working. With the
Pershing expedition itself are suspected
traitors ana spies whom the war intel
ligence department must watch.
AT any cost the secret service work
must not be hampered. Any waste Of
money now. if it is waste, means waste
of lives in the future"