Mexico Missouri message., 1917-09-20
Government Finally Closes Down
on Industrial Workers of
the World.
MANY RAIDS and ARRESTS
Italians Continue Victorious Progress
Toward Trieste-Germans Take
Riga and Great Naval Battle
In the Gulf of Finland
Is Expected.
BY EWARD w. PIcKARo.

It's war Industries hampered, its dig
hausted, the government Of the United
States arose in its might last week and
began the process of squaShing the dis
reputable and disloyal Industrial
Workers of the World. In more than
a score of cities, mostly in the middle
and far West, their headquarters and
printing offices were raided and great
quantities of material seized. The
department Of justice prepared for this
action secretly and carried 1t out
swiftly and skillfully, and is now ready
to have the leaders of the organization
indicted If the documents taken war
rant this. In some cities many arrests
were made. Prosecutions may be
started under the new espionage law,
or any one Of several other laws.
Two of the things that caused Uncle
Sam to get after the I. w. w. were the
preaching of sabotage-the wilfull de-
structiOn Of prOperty-and the use Of
"stickerettes" designed to obstruct en-
listing, which were plastered all over
the country. They are also accused
of misusing the mails to send out mat
ter advocating treason, insurrection
and forcible resistance to the laws con-
cerning the carrying on of the war.
The documents seized show that the
l. w. w. was planning nationwide
strike which, 1t hoped, would tie up
munition plants, railroads and lumber
mills, and the sabotage advocated was
to be practiced In connection with this
strike.
There is a well grounded belief that
the leaders of the l. w. w. are con-
stantly supplied with funds from Ger
man sources, but the great mass Of its
members no doubt are merely ignorant
and misled creatures.
The national headquarters of the
Socialist party in Chicago also were
raided and books and papers seized.
"8ig Bill" In Eclipse.
Another prominent" opponent Of the
William Hale Thompson,
the mayor of Chlcago-came q cropper
last week. In defiance Of the orders of
police Of Chicago to give protection to
meeting of the pacifists who had
been barred from Wisconsin, Minneso.
ia and other states. Thereupon the
governor sent troops to the city to pre-
vent repetition of the offense, the city
council of Chicago formally rebuked
the mayor, the agents Of the depart
ment of justice began inquiries into
his conduct with view to his indict
ment, the press and people of the
country denounced him, and his in
fantile boom for the Illinois senator
ship collapsed utterly. He did not q
to the Kankakee fair, where that boon
; was slated to be started. It is difficult
to write of Thompson, Mason and 9th
er still more prominent foes of theil
country In printable language. Thos,
who combat the governments war eff
forts "give aid and comfort to tn,
enemy" and exasperated loyalty won
lers why they are not subjected to tn,
penalties prescribed by the law agains
treason.
Great Victory for ltaIlans.
When the Italian armies on Tuesda,
J stormed and captured Monte San Ga
briele they took the last mountain fort
ress barring their way toward Laibac
and an advance that would separat
: the northern and southern Austria
armies. Such a movement probabl
; will compel the Austrians to evacuat
Trieste, which has been under shell FIR
from the water for days, and also
: likely to result in the taking Of To