New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-07
No Tenderness With Treason

NO L cnQeTneSS WIN tiSooSh
Doubtless there will be wild shrieks of
/ "Prussianism" from all our most Jealous
radicals and the pro-German wing Of the
Socialist party because of the government
raid on Socialist and !. W. W. headquar-
tiers and the seizure Of documents. Never
theless, the raids were carried out accord
ing TO provisions of law, the recently en-
acted espionage measure, and were made IN
connection with proper and orderly grand
jury proceeding. There appears no greater
cause for protestations about invasion OF
constitutional liberties, therefore, than
when the police department of munich
raHty raids a suspected gambling house
and collects papers and paraphernaha for
use in subsequent legal action.
The Socialist party, through action and
expression by the majority of its members.
has been pro-German from the beginning
Of the war. 1t has repeated, parrot-like,
Germanys arguments and Germany's eX-
cuses. 1t has denounced the entry of the
United States into the war. 1t has pledged
itself to mass action" against the carry
ing out of this country's war measures; It
has removed from its regulations prohibi-
ton against sabotage formerly included
smCng them. AS a result, 1t has been de-
nounced as unneutral and un-American by
some of its strongest and most intelligent
leaders, who have either resigned or been
expelled because they criticised its dis
loyalty.
The |. W. w. has been equally un-Amer-
lean in the expressions emanating from Its
spokesmen. A labor union based frankly
on the theory that the rights Of the work
ors" could be obtained only by revolution.
il has in this time Of the nations peril gone
beyond the legitimate scope of any labor
organization. Denunciations of any war
but the "class war" have been accompanied
by strikes or endeavors to foment strikes
in a number of industries on which the
country was directly dependent for the
success of its war activities. The copper
mines were to be tied up. The forests were
not to be transformed into lumber when
lumber was urgently needed for shipbuild
ing, for making airplanes and for dozen
other government operations. The har-
vests were not to be gathered when lack OF
food might imperil the nation and all its
reople Consumption was to be resisted.
The publications Of the !. W. w. have
~eeked with sedition. Whether all this un-
Americanism has been due directly to
enemy endeavor and enemy funds, as the
government has some reason to suspect, or
whether it has been due to ordinary class
hatred Of the government, expressed more
yehemently at time when loyal citizens
have been dropping partisan antagonlsm
and making personal sacrifices, the net re.
yult has been to aid and comfort this coun-
try's enemies.
1t was high time for the government to
take such action as is proper and legal TO
mt an end to activities of the enemies in
side the country's borders. There will be
countrywide rejoicing over the fact that a
beginning has been made. What has been
done and what will be done by the Depart
ment of Justice will not be found to exceed
the law. The government has wide pow
crs, given to its agents for just such an
emergency. If those whose documents
have been seized for examination have kept
within the law, they have nothing to fear,
even though they are known Of all men to
lie disloyal at heart. But if they have vlo
rated the law in any degree, the best this
country need wish for them is the full ex-
tent of the possible punishment. This is no
time for tenderness with treachery or any
who incite to treason.