Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-04-20
Representatives of Army andI
Navy Intelligence Depart
rnentS Make That Plea toI
Members Senate Committee
SAYS IT'S ONLY WAY
TO CURB LYNCH LAW
Judge MCGEE Declares Some
thing Must Be Done to Pre-
vent Anarchy in i. S. When
Casualty Lists Arrive,


Washington, April 19.--Immediatc
military authorities to deal directly
with spies and German propagandists
was urged before the senate military
committee today as the only way to
curb lynch law against dsloyalty and
enemy agitation.
Representatives of the army and
naval intelligence departments and
other witnesses told the committee
the situation is serious and cannot be
handled under existing laws.
Judge John F. McGee of Minneapo
lis, Mimi, a member of the powerful
public safety commission. organized
by citizens of that state to aid the
government in the prosecution of the
war, declared tie department of JUS
tice's efforts have been CHASTITY
failure" in Minnesota and that the +.
w. w. is not one-half as dangerous
as the non-partisan league members.
whom he characterized as TRAITORS" !"
Calls Socialists Traitors.
He also termed socialists traitors
and said they should be interned.
Judge McGee advocated organizing
firing squads and working them over
time in order to make up for lost
tirnn.
"Give US the military court. or
when the casualty lists come back and
the creme hangs on the door, YOU will
have anarchy in this country" Judge
McGee declared
Judge McGee told of the intense
feeling prevailing in sections of Min
nesota. In the German counties. he
said. stores are being installed by
Germans to compete with those con-
trolled by Americans.
Bants also were being established
he said, until upon the advice of the
committee on public safety the state
bank examiner established a rule re-
fusng N grant charters to banks un-
til applications had been submitted
to the committee.
Senator BOrah Knocks Bill.
The testimony was given in con-
nection with Senator Chamberlains
bill which would transfer from civil
courts to courts-martial, trials of all
persons charged with violating the
espionage act. After the hearing the
committee postponed action until next
week and Chairman Chambmerlain
announced that other witnesses might
be called.
While the hill was beins considered
by the committee opposition was de-
veloping in the senate. Senator Borah
declared the bill u passed would be
unconstitutional and several members
of the committee also questioned its
validity.
Summary Justice Necessary.
Delay of the civil courts in prose-
cutting cases involving the espionage
and other acts intended to stop Ger
man propaganda and --seditious utter
auces were criticized by Norman II.
White of Brookline, Mass. and Col
r, II. vandeman, both connected with
the military intelligence section.
They declared summary justice un-
der military tribunals would do much
to allay feeling against enemy aliens
Twenty thousand aliens in New
York alone, Mr.. White said. have re-
fused to give their finger prints to the
federal authorities as required by law
and no effort is being made to compel
them owing to the rush of work due
IN the war now facing the department
of justice.
There are also hundreds of cases
he asserted, IN winch herOln is DelIlS
sold American soldiers by Germans
and others in the theatrical district in
New York but under the present laws
it can be stopped only with difficulty
Chamberlain Bill Endorsed.
The Chamberlain bill was endorsed
by Captain McCauley. assistant di-
rector of the naval intelligence serv-
ice, who declared threats of trial by
court martial would deter many per-
sons from committing acts which they
would not hesitate to do if they were
only trial by jury would follow.
Despite the united efforts Of the de-
partment of justice and the army and
naval intelligence forces, he admitted
little progress is being made against
spies and propaganda.
Bombarding Paris Again.