The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-08-22
REAMES ISSUES
A SHARP REPLY

@
Charging that Clarence l.. Reamea
special assistant United states attor
ncy general. is prosecuting harmless
workmen for silly remarks and
bounding progreasivos. while ignor
ing the activities OF actual spies. the
Central Labor Council Wednesday
demanded his retirement In a rosolu
ton.
The council decided TO Increase the
per capita tax on all unions one
cent. the money 90 he spent In work.
ms for the removal OF the contract
clause from the workmcn'a compon-
sation act
The council approved a plan to In.
crease all civic employees salaries by
$40 monthly, where increases have
not already been granted.
The Reames resolution, which will
go to President Wilson. was first
passed by the Laborors'. Riggers' and
Fasteners union, and concurred In
by the Metal Trades council. II
reads:
The Resolution
Whereas. We recognize that a
united America IL necessary for the
waxinE Of IA successful war for
democracy: and.
Whereas. Nothing no strongly
tends TO discourage patriotism of tho
common people as the Htraining OF
tho law In order to dlscredit and i'm.
prison progresaives. unless IL IL the
prosecution Of ignorant. helpless
workmen for foolish uttcrnnces: and.
Whereas. During the incu-nb@ncy
Of Assistant Attorney General Ciar-
encc Y. Reames. h. has devoted
much the larger portion OF his time
90 h prosecution Of such men aa
iuiet NJ Wells. who opposed con.
scription before and not after the 30.
lect draft act became IA law. W n.
Kaufman. who advocated conscrip
ton OF wealth and demanded tina,
wnr profftecrs should bear the heavy
burdens OF the war, and the recent
indictment. at the request OF ciar,
cnce /. Reamea. Of William Bouck,
master OF the State grange. also
cases against defenneierH .workmen
for silly remarks. which. however liz,
norant Of the higher aims Of ,he ma.
,ion they may have been. could new.
or have been dangerous. and.
Whereas. II il rumored that there
arr a large number Of German HpieA
In this vicinity. ror-ly needing the
attention Of the assistant attorney
generals office. yet receiving little
or none; therefore. b. IL
Resolved. That We call the atten.
tlon o. the president TO The official
acts Of the said Reames. In the be.
lief that when the conduct Of the said
Rcainez Is known. the said Reames
viii he removed and replaced with an
official more In line with the wise
policies Of the president and moro i'm
hued with real patriotism and lehu dc.
sire TO serve the predatory classes by
the destruction Of their opponents"
In a lengthy statement Issued TO.
day. Assistant L. \ Attorney Gen
erai Hcames. replying to the rcsoiu
ton passed By the labor council last,
night. dcnouncea u as ''uupa triot.c"
and charged u was inspired and car.
ri.d "a by tho Hulet NJ Wells fac.
ton. lie recalls that tie same labor
council passed n resolution drnounc,
Ing the war after the u. u. declared
war. lie Also Gus Lokrn.
who drafted N. resolution original
~. as having been convicted q crime.
Hc state the resolution does not
truly represent labor sentiment and
points to the fact that in the Kauf
nan case. onc Of tho cases against
which the resolution protests. labor
union men served on tho jury. lie
also accused Anna Louise Strong.
who appeared IA a witness In tho
Wells case Of incorporating state.
mcnts Of his.
In conclusion he says: We do
not lndict and prosecute a man who
may have made n haaty and ili.
timed remark. but we do lndict when
his act IL a deliberate one and is
but one incident In a long chain of
unpatriotic and nAmcrtcan utter.
anceh."