Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-04-22
Mr.. Poindexter Alleges Black.
mail as Protest to Mooney
Conviction.
SUBMITS LETTER SHOWING
WALK-OUT is CONSIDERED
Resolution Presented Indicates
"Widespread Suspicion" to Work
men of Attempt to Dis
credit Labor.

a movement by Seattle, Wash.
labor leaders to call 4 general
strike May I, as protest against
alleged persecution Of Thomas
Mooney and others convicted of
the bomb conspiracy at San Fran
cisco, was reported to the Senate
today by Senator Poindexter OF
Washington, who denounced it in
most vehment terms as black
mail upon the government, sedi-
ton and treason.
Senator Poindexter submitted
a letter from Secretary James A.
Duncan of the Seattle Central
Labor Union. stating that refer
endum on the strike was being
circulated.
He also presented a resolution of
Seattle trades unions stating that r.
widespread suspicion" exists among
workmen that the bomb plot convic-
tions are an attempt to discredit organ
ized labor.
"In Harmony With I. W. W."
The movement, Senator Poindexter de-
clared, is in harmony with the l. W. w,
bolshevilki and other international un
rest. Repudiating and denourcing tho
leaders of the movement as not friends,
of labor, Senator Poindexter said:
THE writers of this threat to hold up,
the government, to cut off supplies from.
tween us and the German horror. sheuldi
be visited not only with the just in-s
dignation of an outraged public. bu.
with the punishment prescribed for
son. 1t is an act of conspiracy to fo-
ment sedition and insurrection both by
peacefu1 and violent means.
1T is moral treason. The act itself
being worse than death-an unspeak-
able crime-is deserving of the extreme
penalty of death. The threat to COM
init 1t is a crime against the state and
the government. These men should be
arrested and dealt with as disIoyal
traitors"
Senator Poindexter also referred 10
the government commission. headed by
Secretary Wilson of the Department o &
Labor. which recently investigated
labor unrest on the Pacific coast, and
referred to the Mooney case as one of
the causes
The Washington senator declared tha
movement he referred to was originatedj
by the bolsheviki ard anarchists. Thes
labor commission. he said had not at,
tempted to pass on MONEYS guilt. but
had however, suggested that the Presi-
dent use his enormous power" to in
terfere with Caiifornia's $ judicial proc
esses.
Senator PoindeXter sa-i Mooney and
his co-defendants had undergone thu
usual court processes. and that Seattl,
labor movement was by false represent
atiyes of labor Indicative of IL Ge1'-
eral international laWless effort. Tha
charge that the bomb plot prosecution =,
were designed to discredit organize
labor Senator Poindexter asserted. was
''scandalouS'' and based only on mcIa
suspicion.
Referring to the letter and resolu-
tions of the Seattle labor leaders, Sen
ator Poindexter continued:
''If recourse is to be had to such black
mail or to terrorism, sabotage. dynamits
and murder, to the doctrines Of 'direcC
action of the bolsheviki and ]. w. w, tins
weak are the ones who will suffer.
''In Russia those who rioting are
couuterparts and co-workers against Law
and established government of these reso-
lutons and of the propaganda Of murder.
assassination. revolution, direct actor
sabotage and anarchy which is stalking
through the land.