The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1919-06-19
Police R aid Bolshevik
Headquarters In
New York
State Takes Action to Suppress
Menace of Spreading Doctrine
Among Ignorant Classes

llt HCduIuG1 VI tiC INuS5iJiA
4 Bolshevism Mission to the United
States, which is located i'll New York,
were raided last week by members of
the state constabulary and by private
+! detectives acting with them. The
! TACT that this action was taken by
state authorities rather than by the
authorities OF the Government Of the
! United States makes it a matter OF
peculiar interest, since. while this
] Russian Soviet Mission has not been
lofficially recognized by the Federal
/ Government, it seems To represent
| the de facto government OF large
portion Of European Russia. and con-
| sequently has status WHICH would
presumably entitle it to immunity
| from the ordinary processes of the
civil authorities OF state or city. at
| least until after the Federal authori-
| les have rejected its credentials and
repudiated its diplomatic status; and
even then due notice would ordinarily
be given to the Mission OF the de-
cision and full opportunity afforded
for its representatives to return un-
molested to their own country. Ap-
parently such procedure has not been
followed in this instance and it is con-
ceivable that the incident may result
seriously with reference to our .relz-
tions with the Russian Soviet Cow
ernment. with which-although our
troops are in Russia and have been,
to some extent. at least. engaged in
actual conflict with the Soviet troops
we are technically, at least. at
peace.
1t is reported that the New York
troopers involved were armed with
search warrant issued by New
York City Magistrate, under which
they removed all letters and other
documents in the lies of the Mission.
and that they also had subpoena
duces tecum calling for the appear
ance of the officers of the Mission
before the New York State Joint Leg
islative Committee. recently created
to investigate the activities of Boil
sheviki and others in New York State
and to formulate measures for deal
ing with the same 1t appears that
we various members of the mission
entered vigorous and angry protests
when the raid was made and while
they were being taken to the city hall
for appearance before the Legislative
Committee. In this connection. San
tari Nuorveta. the Secretary of the
said in part: This raid is
an outrage. The Soviet Government
in Russia treated the United States
with the geratest courte-
sy and protected the lives and prop
erty of Americans in Russia with
zeal even when things
we're at their worst. But don't you
know that two can play at this
,ame?"
While it is possible that the meas
lres taken in this matter have re-
.eived the sanction of the Federal
authorities, it looks very much as if
had blundered. The occur
-ence took place within a stones
throw from the local offices of the
Federal Court Officials and the Sc
ret Service of the Department of
Justice. and it would seem that, if
he raid had been made with the sanc-
ion of the government, its repre-
would at least have been
present. In fact it has been ascer-
aimed from confidential sources that
he raid was as much of surprise
o the Federal authorities as it was
o the public at large, and consequent
y it will not be strange if, unless
here is a prompt disavowal by the
'tate Department, there should be
erious developments-perhaps in the
ature of retaliatory measures aginst
he persons or property of Ameri-
ans in Soviet Russia.
While there may be good reason -
or careful investigation of propa-
anda of the representatives and dis
iples of the Bolsheviki in this coun.
ry. such matter should unquestion~
bly, be handled by, or at least With
he supervision and approval of the
United States Government. There
as been trouble enough already with
.ussia and the Russian people, and
his is no time for blundering trou-
le-breeding methods by short-sight-
i local authorities. Such authori-
es should have no trouble in finding