Evening star., 1919-03-23

states. the evidence taken De-
fore the Senate propaganda
shows. How is the United
States to deal with this menace? This
problem is giving members of the
Senate judiciary committee and other
senators and representatives much
at present.
The judiciary subcommittee, which
conducted the investigation of Ger
man propaganda and wound up with
the moro recent bolsheviki or 'red"
has before it the task of
drafting legislation calculated to deal
with this kind Of propaganda during
peace times. The espionage act. un-
der which prosecutions are now go
ing forward. falls to the ground as
soon as peace is proclaimed.
Here is a sample Of the literature
which is being spread broadcast by
the radicals. the bolshevists and the
l. w. W.s. urging the overthrow by
force of the United States govern
ment and the establishment of the
soviet rule which now prevails in
Russia. and threatens to spread to
Germany; it is from the Industriali,
an I. w. w. daily paper. published
in the Finnish language. in Chicago.
OF the date of December, 1918:
Spreading Sc, Of Revolution.
''The triumphal work Of bolshe-
vism is paving the way in the larger
industrial centers of the east There
Is no longer single Sunday or holi-
day that crowds by the thousands do
not vie with each other to hear and
spread the seed of revolution"
A statement submitted to the Senate
committee by the postal officials as
serts that an amalgamation of the 1.
W. W.. anarchists and radical So
overthrow of the government of the
United States by violence and the
establishment of a boishevik govern
ment here. This statement shows that
the y w. w. publishes at least five
newspapers in the English language
and nine in foreign languages; that
1t has at it's command a large field
force known as recruiting agents"
The anarchists and radical socialists
also have many publications and per-
sons spreading the red doctrine.
Once peace ;s proclaimed the United
States government will be powerless
to move against these red agitators,
though they menace the very exist
ence of the government established
by Washington and his colleagues
and preserved by Lincoln and the
millions who fought this matter out
IN the great civil war, so the senators
feel. No statute is on the books which
would enable the government to
prosecute the very men and women
who are seeking it's overthrow until
they make open revolution. They may
continue their agitations and their
n tno
urge the bloodiest kind Of revolution.
Prompt Action Demanded.
The members of the Senate subcom-
mittee, consisting of Senators Over
man of North Carolina. chairman;
King Of Utah, Wolcott of Delaware,
Nelson of Minnesota and Sterling of
south Dakota. are unit in the opin-
ion that legislation should be en-
with this menace. They will submit
a bill. or several bills. drafted to meet
the situation, when they lay their re-
port on the bolsheviki propaganda
before the Senate. The bills probably
viii viii be introduced by Senator Over
Senator Nelson. who is to be chair
man of the judiciary committee when
the republicans take control at the
coming session of Congress, is
strongly IN Iavor OF such legislation.
The stumbling block in the way of this
legislation is the provision of the Con-
stftution guaranteeing freedom of speech
and press. and the strong public senti-
ment which has grown up in the United
States against any legislation seeming
to resetrict freedom of speech. The long,
contest in the. Senate over the espionage
act. though it was designed to put an
end to enemy propaganda in the United
States during the very time of war, is
an evidence Of the feeling in regard to
this matter. Once peace is here the
senator's favoring legislation to deal
with the reds" fear that opposition to
all such legislation will be more strong
ly tntrenched than ever