New-York tribune., 1919-11-14
Cleaning Out the "Reds'
Says Ole Hanson:

OdyS Ole hanson.
"New York to-day is the headquar-
ters aor the cleverest and most dan
gerous Reds in the country.
"The first thing New Workers
should do is to make up their minds
that the Reds must go. The time
to start house cleaning is now"
How? AS to the "Red" of foreign
citizenship the task is easy-de-
portation. The authority of public
officers is ample, public opinion
sustains the policy of sending trou-
blesome guests home and Washing
tons present energy may not be
spasmodic.
But deportation is an inadequate
cure. A more menacing element
consists of citizens. many native
and a few recently in public place
and employed to "interpret" Amer
lea to Europe.
These agree with Trotzky, for
they defend his ideas. The news
stands groan with their publications,
which preach the syndicalsm which
would substitute force for law and
holds minority may rule if able
to seize power. What is to be done
with such?
At Johnstown Red" Foster was
forbidden by a vigilance committee
to debark from a train, and there is
call to initiate JohnstoWn
The advice is of doubtful value.
Friends of the law do not appear
to advantage when lawless them
selves. The debate is then shifted
to other issues, and the spirit of
America plausibly invoked by anti
Americans. The methods of the
law are tedious, but human expert
ence shows it is wise for a social
organism to stick to its own rules.
What is needed is to arouse the
public to the meanings behind the
propaganda engineered by those in
control Of the treasure of the Gar.
and, second, to strengthen the law.
What these meanings are is plain.
The crust of fine words grows thin.
Few can now be excused as deceived.
There is Russia-her message writ
ten large. What is purposed is to
debase the American people to the
level Of Russian misery. The plea
of good intentions is worthless. Men
intend the natural consequences of
their acts, and the natural conse-
quences of Bolshevism are manifest.
But the law needs strengthening.
The definition of treason requires
revision. In old days the traitor was
overt; now he is covert Cunning
must be shackled 1t can be, and
the guilty Identified There is no
doubt of purpose when red flag
is waved.
Our optimistic forefathers be-
lieved that if freedom were once
established none would be wicked
enough to try to overthrow it. They
never dreamed that safeguards to
protect liberty would become the
shields Of the guerrillas of barbar-
ism. They never conceived Of the
possibility of return to the era of
tooth and claw. They knew a Shays
but never pictured a Lenine. So
their rules favored the individual
to the neglect of that safety of the
whole without which individual
right perishes. But now is revived
the simple plan,
That they should take who have the
power,
And they should keep who can
In particular cases doubtless law
lessness to suppress lawlessness
will occur, even as in Boston, when
sober men threw the tea overheard
But King George would have beer
served if the colonies had blazed
with riot and mob rule. The Boil
shevist is pleased when able to heat
Indignation to a boiling point. He
dons halo and presents himself as
martyr.
Liberty under the law is the motto
of America. Nav we have the calm
courage to stick to it,