The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-10-23
TRIALED BY DETECTIVES

I
 '"rhe federal trade commission and it's employees have long been subject to an attack that the public has never known about. The time has come to reveal It. While the federal trade commission investigation of the meat packers was on, the governments representatives were trailed by detectives, who daily stood outside the doors of the commits sions offices. The offices of the com missions representatives were entered surreptitiously.
 ''The department of justice is about to present to the federal grand jury the case against the Chicago meat packers. A considerable part of the evidence that is to be presented win be material gathered by the federal trade commits sion's agents, and some of those agents are summoned as witnesses. Already some of them are in Chicago.
 Tt is a coincidence that these men are the men assailed in the Watson charges that the federal trade commission Is a hotbed of bolshevism, sedition and anar- chy. The federal trade commission has avoided giving immunity to the pack CTS by calling them as witnesses, and for this it has been and is being cease lesSly criticized; and now as the VII nesses of the government are about to enter the grand jury room, there IS every effort to discredit them. This at tack upon the personal conduct and character of faithful, loyal employees of the comm sson is of piece with one Of the series of paid advertisements pub lished by the meat packers on October 9, throughout the United States the heading of which was encouraging bol- shevism," and in which scandalous charge was made against the department of justice and the federal trade commits sion was made as definitely as was pos rih for ,nt mot nnin of senatorial privilege.
 CHARGED WITH TREASON
 Senator Sherman has charged the members of the federal trade commission with what amounts to treason and con spiracy. Senator Watson charges the employees of the federal trade commis- sion with sedition and anarchy. The commissioners have stood many attacks, secret and public, but the commlSSlon- CTS feel that they would be deretict m their duty if they should let pass un- challenged the false, outrageous and despicable assault that has been made upon members of it's staff whose only offense is that they have stood steadfast in the performance of their duty, under constant harrassment resisting caJol- cries, offers of employment, and attempt ed seductions.
 "All of which can be gone into in de- tail, but not here.
 "The commission now says with re- spect to MT. Durand, Mir. Chase, MT. Tator, MT Ohsol, MT. Kravits, MT. Manly and MT. Haines, those now in the employ of the commission or accessible to it. that their- political beliefs, a> though never heretofore questioned, have been inquired. Some voted as re- publicans, some as democrats, some as socialists. but not one whose good clti- zenship and faithful public service IS not outraged by the charge that they are bolshevists, or anything else that that word implies. e Senator Sherman's charges are made in detail. Senator Watsons charges are made in detail. The commission challenges the proof, and with the proof their source and the means by which they were furnished"