New-York tribune., 1918-01-25
Austrian-Born Youths Are
Accused of Spreading
Discomfort
Arrests Made Under
Espionage Act
Presidential Warrants Is.
sued; No Breach of
Military Law

Charged with spreading discomfort
among the soldiers of the National
Army al Camp Upton, five drafted men,
al OF Austrian birth, were arrested
there yesterday By Marshal James NJ
Power. o. Brooklyn, and squad of
deputies and last night were sent 10
Ellis Island under detention while
their activities arc being investigated
By the Department of Justice
According TO Marshal Power, the
men ara accused of concerted @drivs" ="
on the morale Of their companions IN
the big cantonment at Yaphank. !. l..
hut their alleged propaganda is said
10 have been carried on insidiously,
with SO much care that the prisoners
did not once lay themselves open to
a charge of breaking military law
These are the prisoners:
Sidney MichLl, Twenty-Five Of 1D2
North Seventh Street, Brooklyn who
arrived at the camp December and
was attached to the 3oSth Infantry
Supply Company.
Morris Schwell- twenty-four, of 11s
East 115th Street. Manhattan, sent to
Camp Upton December s and placed
Al OtIi- lt-AIIE D. ob iu IN dHIxN.
Joseph StoniOsch- twcnty-threc, Of
l75 Stanhope Street, Brooklyn, in camp
1lnce December l, with the 152d Depot
Brie2de, 18th Company.
Morris Louish, twenty-five, OF 145
las. Houston Street, Manhattan, since
December with the 302d Ammunition
Trair
Joseph Brein. thirty, OF 90 Hi1nrod
Street. Brooklyn. attached 10 the 152d
Depot Brigade. 18th Company. since
December !
Although only B7rin and Stonitsch
were in the same command, the other
three being scattered throughout the
camp, they seemed to have had an IN
derslanding-
Never Counselled Rebellion
Never once did they openly rebel or
counsel rebellion against superiors or
conditions In the camp But. it is
charged. they never let the opportunity
pass 10 proclaim their opposition to the
Var and criticism OF the way the war
ras being run, inlso far as ic affected
.hosc a. Camp Upton.
Their favorite method was that OF
"grousing.7 or complaining Increasingly
about the food. clothing and general
camp conditions, according to Marsha.
Powers Their glumbling is said to
have been communicated TO the spirit OF
he men they came in touch with, and
the camp command was faced with the
possibility OF a serious relaxation or
camp discipline
Through various sources the intelli-
rence department of the camp traced
tire complaints TO the five prisoners. 1t
vas found that all of the men were
above average intelligence and had
come from homes in the foreign dis
tricts of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
AT the beginning of the investigation
by the military authorities it was
planned to place the suspects Under
court martial. TO be dealt with as mill
tary offenders. When it was found,
however, that the five had avoided
carefully any infraction OF the articles
Of war their arrest and internment by
the civil authorities were recommended.
Presidential warrants were issued
Gnder the authority of the espionage
Act hv Washington in bringing about
The arrests. Only Michul was in uni
form when the prisoners were taken
20 the Federal Building in Brooklyn
The uniforms had been stripped from
The others. who wore civilian garb.
Among the possible causes for the
five prisoners activities suggested bv
. Federal official is a wish TO cvade the
draft. lilc the soldiers committed
40 crime which would be punishable,
there is the chance that they may be
harbored until the end of the war in
IN internment camp, safe from the an
noyances Of position in the first line
trenches