Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-06-23
THE RED DANGER AND THE REMEDY

Attorney General Palmer, in statement made last
week before the appropriations committee of the house
of representatives, in connection with his recent re-
quest that the Department of Jutce appropriation for
prosecution of crimes for the next fiscal year be in
creased from 100000 $2OO0O OO said that in the
near future there is likely to be widespread revolu
onary attct t. destroy the government of this
try l. has also te2r announced by other Officers If me
Department of Justice that from information hand
it is probable that there will soon-que possibly on
July 4be another lot of bomb outrages and the police
of all cities warned be their guard and to ar
rest promptly all suspicious characters.
This warning seems to be timely and it is most de-
sirabe that it shall be carefully needed by all peace Off
Such measures alone, however, though every
available detective and peace office in the country be
utilized to the best possible advantage will neither rem
edy the existing dangerous anarchstc and Bolshevisc
conditions in this country accomplish more than
slight of merely temporary protection for
our law abiding people. The disease is far too deep
seated and widespread for such utterly superficial
This has been clearly illustrated by the fact
that countrywide Secret Service and police efforts to
apprehend and punish the parties responsible for the
tery failed 1t will not do to leave the task of dealing
with this grave situation entirely primarily
the ancient and ineffective method of pursuit and pun
ishment 1t is important, of course, to capture
and punish the criminals of the past but thousand
times important to ascertain who are likely to be
the awbreakers of the future and why This is the
really great need of the situation and this is precisely
what our federal and local authorities NOT doing.
The attorney general should of course be provided with
whatever money he needs to take proper for
the arrest and conviction of law-breakers-hat goes
without SAYING but congress should not stop at that
congress should Immediately provide by joint resolution
for the institution of countrywide inquiry to the
nature extent and of the widespread spirit of
unrest, dissatisfaction with our governmental instu
tons, and disposition to change the existing order by
"drect action" methods and revolutionary propaganda
Such inquiry should be conducted not as an inqusition
to extort evidence for in criminal prosecutions bu
should be used of getting full information
to grievances, alleged grievances, which re-
sponsibe for this dangerous situation The fact should
be widely announced that the inquiry for remedial
and not punitive purposes and every possible effort
should be made to the entire field extensively
and fairly.
4 The fact that such plan being undertaken
would have immediate tendency to check temporarily
at least unlawful demonstrations Moreover from the
mass of facts collected it would be possible to get
clear view of the and scope of the problem
involved and to formulate corrective remedial meas
ures whether they call for immigration restrictions
naturalization, notifications, deporatons, Americaniza
i ton work, industrial legislation, or what not
Whatever the cause of this situation and whatever
may be its extent the facts should be ascertained
once; and when they known it will be possible tt
formulate and carry out measures which will provide
the remedy. Let us have the facts