The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-03-06
WILL
CLEAN HOUSE
IS PROMISED
LETTER OF LATAH PROTECTIVE
ASSOCIATION BRINGS QUICK
RESULTS
CITY COUNCIL TO ACT
SPOKANE PAPER CALLS LETTER
A CHEATED REPLY" BUT
1T BRINGS ACTION

Quick and decisive results are sure
to follow the letter sent by the Latah
County Protective association to the
city council of Spokane, which was
published in full in yesterdays Star
Mirror. Last nights Chronicle says,
under the head Spokane Officials
Plan I. W. w. Cleanup:
Spokane is likely to have an I. w. w.
house cleaning.
Conferences will be held Immediate
ly between the city and federal Of
ficials of Spokane, to deal with the
I. w. w. situation, and if possible to
halt the detrimental activities of the
organization, which, it is declared, are
being engineered throughout the IN
land Empire from the locareead quar-
ters.
A determination upon some action Of
this kind was announced Monday by
Commissioner of Public Safety John
H. Tilsey, who stated he would con-
suit with the United States marshal's
office, the district attorney and prob
ably with Federal Judge Frank H.
Rudkin in the matter with as little
delay as possible.
Commissioner Tilsey's announce
ment followed close upon the reading
before the city council of a rather
heated come back" upon the city
commissioners by the Latah County
Protective association, replying to the
councils answer about two weeks ago
to the protective associations reso-
lutions petitioning Spokane for an I.
W. W. cleanup.
Then follows the letter addressed
to the Spokane city council by the pro-
tective association, the letter being
given in full The Chronicle gives
much space editorially to advising
Spokane to do just what was suggest
ed in the letter to the council. It's
leading editorial, double-leaded and
displayed on the editorial page, fol-
lows:
City and federal officials can not
formulate too soon definite, ener-
getic policy to be followed this spring
and summer in dealing with the 1. w.
w.
To await without action the time
when the agents of the organization
have demoralized labor and industry
and crippled war preparations in the
Inland Empire would be like waiting
idly for flames to break from smok-
ing building.
The |. W. w. has undergone no re-
generation since last year. 1t is the
same arrogant outlaw. 1t cherishes
the same disloyal, disorganizing, anti
industry agitators. They may be less
blatant-may even be loud in claim
ing patriotic aims But they have
never renounced sabotage, class ha-
tired and contempt for the republic.
Public officials can not honestly
remain neutral toward the l. w. W.
They tried the policy of Indifference
last year-and it cost industry and
labor a heavy toll. Leave the burning
of the town of Harrison out of the
question; enough damage was done,
enough treason was talked and plotted
to shame Spokane for harboring Kali
ser Wilhelm's allies while carrying on
their work here.
Logging operations in the Inland
Empire were stoppedgfor weeks.
Lumber mills were shut down and
permanent employees thrown needless
ly out of work.
The harvesting of crops was delayed.
Agriculture and industry were lin
tied in operations when the nation was
demanding expansion.
Neutrality toward the l. w. w. cost
the Inland Empire all this and more.
1t compelled the nation to hold hum
dreds of soldiers in idleness at bridges
and at mills and throughout the farm
ing districts when they should have
ben in training camps. 1t slowed
down the whole northwest in rallying
to the call OF. the president
Not the smallest item In Spokane's
bill for neutrality was the respect OF
scores of nearby towns,
The 1917 policy was a failure. No
more OF that for 1918.