New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-20
Spokane Headquarters Are
Raided and u Ar
rests Made
Labor Walkout in
Northwest Planned
Men Seized in California;
Federal Aid Asked by
Officials
fSur correspondeneel

tsAr corespondeneel
SPOKANE, Wash, Aug. 1a.-United
States Infantry from Idaho to-day
raided I. w. W. headquarters here, ar
resting James Rowan, district secre-
tary of the organization; William
Moran, secretary of the local organizs-
tion, and twenty-five other members.
They were placed in the county Jail as
military prisoners.
Rowan had issued the call for the
general strike of |. w. W. labor in the
Northwest, to begin to-day, and the
round up was part of a plan to head
of the strike. The arrests were made
by battalo Of Idaho National Guards
men, commanded by Major Clement
wilkins.
A dispatch from Long Beach, Cal.
says that the police to-day, assisted
by National Guardsmen, arrested eight
members of the Industrial Workers of
the World as they stepped from a Los
Angeles train there.
Arrest of Leaders
"Are you Rowan" asked Major Will
kins, as he walked into the |. w. W.
hall on Main Avenue, this city, at 3
o'clock this afternoon.
"No. I'm Moran"
"You are under arrest. Where's
Rowan z,
Here am" said mild-loeking lit
tic man, who was reading a paper
"You are under arrest, too,' said the
major.
Rowan is Northwestern secretary.
treasurer of the I. w. w. and general
director of It's activities and Of 100000
riembers in this section. Moran is re-
cruiting secretary. A detachment of
infsntrymen with fixed bsyonets was
waiting in front, and soon Rowan,
Moran and twenty-five others were on
their way to the county Jail.
At the same time another detach-
ment of troops raided the general
headquarters at 239 Trent Avenue.
Rowan's executive Offices. Only one
man was found there. None of ths ar
rested men had any weapons OF incen-
diary material. Among them they Rad
about Sl,4OO. of which Rowen had ST.
25O. No resistance was offered.
The troops have taken possession Of
all records, and they will be closely
scrutinized. Rowan made a wild state
ment. in which he declared that he had
no unpatriotic purposes and the strike
would 20 on, regardless Of his arrest.
Arrest Asked by officials
The arrests were made in accordance
with the recommendations of state and
national officials that Federal mill
tary action be taken. The order was
transmitted last night by Major Will
Jams at.Fort Wright.
Chairman Z. F. Blaine Of the State
Public Service Commission, represent
ed the Governor. and was in the United
States Marshals Office while the ar
rests we're being made. There is
slightly different angle on these ar
rests from those previously made at
Yakima and elsewhere in the state.
Because slackers and German plotters
we're among the "class war prisoners"
whose release was demanded to-mor-
row by Rowan, the alternative being
the general strike. the Federal suthori-
ties take Rowman's demand as direct
menace to Federal authority.
1t is declared that the prisoners are
held under Federal authority, whereas
in previous arrests the prisoners have
been merely detained by local peace
officers after their arrest by soldiers.
1t was learned that Rowan collected
$4,000 in June and $4,000 in July.
Chairman Blaine made a statement
justifying the arrest Of Rowan and his
associates in advance of any overt
physical act on the ground that the
impending /. W. w. strike was directly
inimical to the public interest and in
tended to weaken the government
while engaged in a foreign war.
Tried to Gain Prestige
1t was admitted to-day that the !.
W. W. prisoners wosld have been re-
leased by tomorrow had Rowan not
named that as the day for a strike in
the effort to gain prestige .or his
organization. he having learned the in
tention of the authorities.
1t is stated that il the strike goes
on tomorrow the troops will act sum.
marily wherever there appears TO be
any prospect that by doing so they
will contribute to the maintenance OF
order.
To be prepared for all eventualities
Judge Ru6kin. of the United States Dis
trict Court, has summoned a special
grand jury TO meet on August 30. IL
is understood that IL conditions at tina.
time demand il the judge will give the
jury a ringing war time charge as TO