The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1917-02-15
|. WV. LEADERS
SENTENCED ON
TREASON CHARGES
Australia Attempts to Wipe Out In
dustrial Organization of
Workers
BY w. Francis Ahern

terms of Imprisonment, ranging from
five years to fifteen years, after trial
here. The charges against the men
included conspiracy to rouse rebellion
against the government and conspir-
acy to h.rn buildings in Sydney and
olcwho-o.
Early in 1916 several of the leading
/. w. w. men were imprisoned for
inflammatory speeches, notably Tom
Baker, editor of the ]. w. w. paper
Direct Action. After several trials,
Baker last May was sentenced to
twelve on'hs, but was released after
serving three months. While he was
in prison several large fires broke out
in Sydney, where he was convicted.
MEMBERS of the |. w. w. who
"squealed" later admitted, so the
police said, that the fires were caused
b 7. W W. members as a protest
against Bakers sentence.
After the release of Baker, the fight
against CONSUMPTION in Australia was
in full swing, and the I. w. w. men
took leading part in it, not fighting
with the bodies of organized labor, but
on their own account. And it stands
on record that for the first time in its
history, the l. W. W. as a body voted
at the ballot box against the measure.
During the months of June, July,
August and September many attempts
were made to burn down public build
ings in Sydney and other towns. While
some were carried out, the majority
failed. Men, acting for the police
authorities, gained admission to the
L. W. w. organization and learned
everything connected with the pro-
posed fires and the alleged attempt to
destroy Sydney by fire.
In September the l. w. W. head
quarters were raided and twelve of the
leaders were arrested. The literature
and everything connected with the
movement were seized by the govern
ment. The charge against the men
was that they did conspire to levy re-
b9-lon against the government, did
conspire to burn down buildings in
Sydney and elsewhere, did prepare
a. H7-facture soups" chemical
t. causing fires), and place them in
many places to cause fires, and that
they had made organized attempts to
intinidate the government in the car
rying out of the law of the country.
Two long trials took place, in which
most of the evidence was given by men
who had turned traitors on their fell
low members of the organization, or
by detectives, and men who Joined
the /. w. W. for the purpose of find
'nT out what was being done and then
informing the police. Some of the
men who actually joined the 1. W. W.
for this purpose got permission to
start some of the fires.
Thus it was that the police were
able to know how many disastrous
" "a broke out in Sydney were
=, &c involving a loss of over S1O,-
100000.
At the trial the I. w. W. men were
represented by about the best talent
OF the bar that could be got for them
and the trial lasted many days. One
Of the I. ". w. men conducted his
E and conducted it very well
too-7coring heavily at times over the
barristers briefed for the Crown.
In addition to these charges several
of the l. W. W. men were also con.
Vlcted on a huge banknote forgery
case, involving over 100000. And in
N'7 '7'''~ case one of the /. w. w
men sentenced to three years. i'm.
prlsonment was also implicated in the
above case of conspiracy, sedition ant
AEON
the Judge had made an ex.
r2Aeiy long summing up, the jury
Of twelve picked after over one
hundred had been challenged by the
|. W. w. mem retired, and after fou,
hours returned a verdict of guilty.
The sentences were as follows
Thomas Glynn editor of the I. w. w
paperD Peter Larkin (brother of the
world-known James Larkin), job,
Hamilton, Donald Mcpherson, William
Beatty, Morris Joseph Fagin, Donald
Grant, William Teen-all condemne,
to fifteen years gaol; Chas. Reeve
Bernard Bob Besant, Thomas Moore
all to ten years gaol; and John Ben
Jamin King to five years gaol lin ad
dltion to three years gaol for forger,
of banknotes.)
Most Of the men will be we'll know,
to American people-especially Larkil
Reeve, Grant Glynn, Fagin and King
An attempt is now being made b,
the police to utterly crush the I. w. W
movement in Australia, but whethe
this will succeed remains to be seet
later on.
1t will be understood, of course. tina
have given an account of the abov
LON published reports of the case.