Evening star., 1918-02-11
HEARINGS ARREST
FOR TREASON URGED
Wood Demands That Attorney
General Either Act or
Resign.

Discovery of the fact that new
pamphlet by Scott Nearing, former col
llege professor and one of the leading
lights Of the so-called Peoples Council
of America, has been quietly circulated
to the extent of at least $4,000 copies
led today to the assertion of Henry A.
Wise Wood that he proposes to demand
that Attorney General Gregory take i'm
mediate steps to place Nearing behind
the bars until the end of the war, or
resign and make room for an Attorney
General who will do so.
At the Department of Justice today it
was impossible to obtain information
as to whether Mr. Woods promised let
tier to the Attorney General had been
received or whether any steps had
been taken to curb the activities of
Nearing and his associates.
Attorney General Gregory is out OF
the city attending the funeral of his
| mother. Bruce Bielaski, chief of the
bureau of Investigations of the De-
city, and none of the assistant attor-
neys general was inclined to furnish
any information.
All War Activities Assailed.
Discovery of the renewed activities
of Nearing came through e clipping
from country newspaper published at
mining town in Colorado. The clip
ping showed the new pamphlet. con-
tanning vicious attacks on the admins
tration. Congress, the liberty loahs
the selective conscription law and, In
short, everything that has been accom-
plished in the prosecution of the war
had been circulated in large numbers
among miners and others in COLORADO
towns. The pamphlets, 1t was stated
were distributed by automobile from
Denver.
In his announcement of the discov-
cry of the new pamphlet Mr. Wood.
who is chairman of the conference com
mittee on national preparedness and
who is actively interested in the de-
velopment of an effective aerial fleet for
use in the war against Germany. stated
unequivocally that the document was
"the most seditious. pro-German propa-
ganda that the kaiser's aids have had
the audacity to attempt in this coun-
try.
Thousands Have Been Circulated.
Thousands of copies of the pamphlet,
it was learned, have been circulated in
New York city and other eastern cities,
las we'll as in the west.
This effort of hearings will give the
people an inkling of what the Depart
ment of Justice has been permitting
the kaisers friends to get away with
in this country" said Mr.. Wood.
TT is just such pro-German propa-
ganda that is turning some persons
against their government. Nearing is
more dangerous because of his college
education. II is appalling to stop to
consider what effect his writings will
have on some of the ignorant laborers
whose output this country SO vitally
needs right now
Aids Kaiser, Wood Says.
"It is pamphlets such as Nearing's
that incite pacifists and fanatics to
burn factories and otherwise aid the
Kaiser's cause.
THE fact that the fires and bomb
paintings DO not diminish in number is
all the evidence we need that Tttorney
General Gregory Is either not COM
petent or willing to suppress the Ger
man activities in this country.
"A few of hearings paragraphs are
enough to show that he ought to be in
Jail. In intend to write to Mr.. Gregory
making this demand: That he either
place Nearing behind bars suppress his
writings and otherwise vigorously
stamp out the German spy system in
this country. or else resign from Office
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