Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1918-01-31
French SCHOOL
MA'AM DISLOYAL
Arrest Uncovers a Widespread
Antimiitarist Plot.
breaches CLASS HATRED
Helene Brion Found Guilty of Spread
ing Antipatriotic, AIarmist Propa-
ganda Which Had Its Origin in Ger
man Quarters in Switzerland
Masses of Seditious Literature Is
Found in Her Possession.


Found in Her Possession.
The arrest at Pantin recently Of
Helene BriOn, primary public school
teacher, on the charge Of spreading
pacifist peace at any price, anarchist
propaganda, has uncovered what seems
to be a much ramified antimilitarist
plot, writes Milton V. Snyder, Paris
correspondent Of the New York Sun.
Through this arrest and others now
pending the authorities have discov-
cred that despite the real patriotism Of
90 per cent Of the people Of France
leaven Of unrest has been working
among, oddly enough, small percent
age Of the class whose duty it is to
preach loyalty to the government the
public school teachers.
On October %, 1917, a. M, and
Nine. MayouX, both government in
StructOrS at Dignac, were arrested and
found guilty Of spreading antipatriOtic,
alarmist propaganda. They were re-
manded for further hearing either be-
fore the Bordeaux court of appeals or
IL
MayOuxs were found to be in commu-
nication with Helene Brion, who had
been under police surveillance. Her
room was searched last August and be-
cause Of the seditiOus literature found
among her effects she was suspended
from her duties as a teacher. Despite
this circumstance she continued to
draw her salary.
Urged Soldiers to Desert.
Other documents found were PAM
phlets urging soldiers to desert and
voluminous correspondence with the
MayOuXS that was really responsible
for that couples arrest. There also
were detailed accounts and eulogistic
comments on the Zimmerwald and
Kienthal pacifist conferences, also va
riOus subscription lists for the propa
cation OF the peace at any price idea
in France.
At the same time that Helene Bri-
On'S quarters were ranSacked search
was made at the home of two other
suspects, both of whom have since
been arrested: Nine. DufOur, a teacher
at JOgny and CASTOR MOuflard, twice
wounded at the front and lately called
to duty in q munitions factory. Sedi-
tiOuS literature was found among their
belongings, likewise a quantity of
paper butterflies bearing anarchiStic,
antimilitarist texts, preaching class
hatred, resistance to military orders,
peace at any price and the call for
a general revolution.
All this printed matter came from
Lausanne and Geneva, where it was
published by a committee created for
the reopening of international rela-
tf0nS-a committee of which the May
oIXs and Helene Brion were active
members. From letters seized in the
quarters of these pacifists it was
shown that in 1915, acting together,
they succeeded in getting their I'M
wholesome literature into the hands
of great many soldiers at the front.
A Jealous Propaganda.
Helene Brion was a particularly
Jealous propaganda in pacifist cir
cleS. In all the suburbs north and
northeast of Paris-at Saint Denis,
Auberyilliers, Pre-Saint-Gervais-t
lilacs-she was known for the violence
of her antipatriotic sentiments that
she never missed q chance to express.
The marvel has been that nOtwith
standing her ideas and her incessant
activities she was free from police in
reference and permitted to continue
hpr ipSiInnc a0ronoi orr fo, months
Her pet theories were Malthusian,
defeatiSt, antimilitarist and anarchist.
and she was a member Of several
revolutionary groups, treasurer of a
feminist association and to cap the
climax, government public school
teacher.
Helene Brion always dresses in mems
clothes, which are partly concealed by
Il long white workman's blouse. She
often went about the streets carrying
a ladder on her back, paste pot in
her hand and under her arm bundle
Of pOsters-notices of labor union
meetings-which she used to paste on
blank walls. Last winter, during the
coal distribution difficulties, she in
CllSu the AOIhNOIuen Oh nor quarter
10 revolution.
On August 1, 1914, she was heard TO
eXclaim in the courtyard of her
school;
"Td like to set fire to the ministry
of war!"
She spent the first Sunday, Monday
and Tuesday Of mobilization in Paris
and came back to Pantin, declaring:
81 wonder 1 wasn't arrested! 1 GER
tainly didn't hesitate to shout in the
streets what / thought of the govern
ment |"
Her antimilitarist speeches were
legion. She knew Almereyda well, be-
ing in business relations with him, and
the Bonnet Rouge office was her fav-
orite stamping ground.
Attended Anarchist Rallies.
Known in labor circles, she often
5Y,ct ho