South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-10-20
EDITOR SAYS
GARY REPORTS
ARE Untrue
Claims Stories of Riots and
Bomb Throwing Anarchists
Are UnfOunded.
BY HENRY BURGESS SNYDER.
editor Gary Und.) Evening Post.)

BY HENRY BURGESS SNYDER.
editor Gary (IndD Evening Post.)
BY United Press:
GARY, Ind Oct. 2O.-Reports
have exaggerated largely the ser
ious situation that exists in Gary.
Until all metropolitan newspapers
develop a type of news gathering
that aims at truth rather than SEN
sationalism, a few of them will con-
tinue TO aggravate growing dis
trust of their news sources on the
part of labor. Stories of riot and
bomb throwing anarchists here
are totally unfounded. The only dis
tUrbance of any moment occurred
a few hours before the United States
soldiers arrived and il was the direct
cause of the soldiers being called.
Some two thousand strikers pa
raded, led by three hundred khaki
clad eX-soldiers. and held a mass
meeting i'm defiance of the orders of
Mayor ". F. Hodges. IL was a di-
rect challenge to law and because
of the meager force of state militia
the mayor could only ask for gov
ernment aid
Since then there has been no dis
order. The city is under military
control and the strikers say openly
they are glad the military was call
ed in. Except for soldiers on patrol.
Gary today Is the Gary of month
ago
Infection Widespread
II is practically impossible to
learn the degree i'm which foreign
wOrkingmen would have been in
fected by bolshevism. The military
believe the infection is widespread.
not only in Gary. but in every other
similar industrial center. Col. Mapes,
who is in command of the troops
said:
We have conclusive evidence that
the strike is in the hands of the reds
and we can prove it,"
The military believe that a large
percentage of the men still out on
strike are led by l. W. w. and boil
sheviki beliefs. The radicals have
run the gamut OF their wares. Men
of foreign birth, foreign breeding:
men often who cannot understand
the English language and have not
the slightest conception OF American
ideals, have been the real teachers
and leaders of many of the foreign
groups. AS a result, rattle brains
who have no understanding of the
difference between the civilization OF
Russia and America have been tell
ing these people they can take over
the mills and many have believed.
We have known here in Gary that
the radicals were at work. But they
speak In a foreign tongue. and not
until the army came did any one
have any comprehension that the
infection is as widespread as mill
tary investigation would indicate.
And even now some of the people
wonder if the military are not see
ing things.
Have no Heart.
There is no general belief that the
Gary radicals would attempt a revo-
luton. A very large majority of po-
tential bolsheviks have no heart
for rough stuff" If they take over
the mills they will want TO put on
their Sunday clothes, march over to
the mills and let the bosses do the
work. That sort Of bolshevism is not
very dangerous unless 1t is given an
untrammelled leadership by men OF
action.
Ii is these men of action the mill
tary are seeking out. Thus far eight
are held for deportation. Before the
military get through with Gary they
expect 20 have the trouble makers.
who with few exceptions are aliens.
turned over 10 the immigration au-
thorities
All Of which would indicate that
Gary is not the center OF a nation
wide conspiracy as some reporters
have imagined. Chicago is the cen
ter of American radicalism. Gary is
only one OF a number of infected
Industrial centers. but its proximity
10 Chicago has made it something
Of radical experiment station
Situation i Serious
The situation while not alarming.
is serious. Alien agltators must not
be- permitted TO leach immigrants
their ideas of America.
4 vast deal more OF effort must
be made by Americans 10 do our
own AmericaniZing.
But the trouble cannot be settled
unless there is a change in the rela-
tions OF capital ana labor. Unless
labor is satisfied the radicals will
succeed in their undoubted effort 10
seize the machinery Of unionism.
Then the situation will not only be
serious but alarming.