Evening star., 1918-06-02
RETAINS FREEDOM
ON $4,000 BOND
Mrs. Stokes, Given 10 Years
for Espionage, Will
Appeal Case.
STATEMENT BY COURT
By the Associated Press.

$4,000 bond, pending preparation OF
a bill of exceptions by her attorneys.
who will appeal her case to the United
States circuit court Of appeals. Mrs
Stokes today was sentenced to serve
ten years in the Missouri state peni-
Tertiary, following her conviction May
% on an indictment charging violation
Of the espionage act. Judge Van
Valkenburgh granted the defense sixty
days in which to file its bill Of e1-
ceptions.
Mrs. Stokes was found guilty on
three counts Of the Indictment and
the court imposed a sentence Of ten
years in each count, but announced
that the sentences would run con-
currently. Missouri penitentiary was
chosen, it was announced, because the
federal prison at Leavenworth. Kan.
has no accommodation for woman pris-
oners.
Mrs. Stokes tonight declined to COM
ment upon her sentence. She announced
that she planned to return to her
homo in New York tomorrow.
May Hear Case in December.
It was said tonight the court of
appeals may hear the case in Decem-
ber. and IL the lower courts findings
are upheld and If the defendant can
raise a constitutional question the
case will go to the United States
Supreme Court.
In a statement to the court before
sentence was pronounced Mrs. Stokes
reiterated that she had assumed 1t
was her privilege to approve or
criticise any Of the war aims" Of the
government. and declared she recog-
mixed the cause of Americas en-
trance into war and had at no time
opposed the war.
Judge Reads Statement.
In passing sentence. Judge Van
valkenburgh read a prepared state
ment. in which he said:
II believe this is part of a sys-
tematic program to create discomfort
with the war, loss Of confidence in
the good faith and sincerity UNDER
lying the conduct Of the war, and its
ultimate aims; thereby to cause with
drawal of support at home and q re-
Taxation of effort and effect in the
field. All this to the end that peace
with Germany. and the interests OF
the nation at large sacrificed for the
realization of social and economic
views of certain groups.
"Co-operation for this common OBJ
Ject among various irresponsible or
perceptible. Some are undoubtedly
inspired from German sources; others
may not be. but the result. should
they succeed, would be the same.
Revolution. II deemed necessary. is
aimed at, expected and practically In
vited.
Want Conditions Like Russia.
'-The lamentabfe situation already
stantial object here. True, such q re-
suit is not to be anticipated. OF
course. we know that existing condi-
tions here, racial and otherwise, are
widely different. Nevertheless. we
must not encourage harmful activi-
remote their consequences may now
appear"
I'VE have in this class Of cases a
stubborn and determined resistance
to governmental decrees." Judge Van
valkenburgh continued. I'm q de.
the popular will. To Justify the stand
taken. logic. reason and human SYM
pathy are speciously invoked, but no
standards Of such are recognized ex.
cept those of the objectors them
selves. Such opposition amounts to
has been closd by final action on the
part of the constitutional authorities.
Under such circumstances the only
practical remedy is stern and SUBJ
stantial application Of legal sanctions
law and the President approved il. It
was designed to meet a war danger.
Its comparative Importance in the
minds of Congress Is made manifest
by the penalty provided-nearly, II
not quite. double that for any other
defense defined. except murder, trea-
son and analogous crimes"
Motion for New Trial overruled.
judge Van valkenbursh evsrrvlsd
. motion for new trial filed By Sey-
mour Stedman. attorney for Mrs.
Stokes, based on the contention that
the court had failed to distinguish
between motive and intent. The court
also overruled q motion for arrest Of
judgment.
Mr.. Stokes was not in the court
room during the proceedings
Immediately before sentence was
announced Attorney Stedman stated
that Mrs. Stokes wished to read a
statement. This she was permitted
to do. Tho statement. In part, follows:
Mrs. Stokes Makes Statement.
'The communication which I sent
to the Kansas City Star announced
that I was not supporting tho war
aims of the government. I assumed
among the numerous aims which had
been presented by different groups
of people that It was my privilege to
approve or criticise any Of the war
aims brouHh forward
I have at all times recognised the
cause OF our entrance into the war
and have at no time opposed the
war.
Early this year newspapers were
f1lled with reports Of the exception
ally large profits secured by what is
generally known as war profiteers,'
and rightly or wrongly I honestly
feared their dominating influence
over the administration. and I am not
free from that apprehension at the
present time"
Mrs. Stokes said that in her COM
municatton to the Star she had re-
ferred to the government, meaning
the administration. and continued: !:
IF have offended in expressing q
criticism which intimates that the
government is leaning to one class or
another It is because I have taken
the provision Of the Constitution
literally-a language plain and sim
pie and made part of tho Consti-
tuition by an amendment thereto by
those who recognized its Importance
during periods not alone Of peace.
but, also, of stress"
Not Conscious Of Any Crime.