The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-03-19
MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
ALBERs' SENTENCE is JUST.

ALBERS' SENTENCE is JUST.
There will be general approval of
the sentence of three years in a fed
eral prison and $4,000 fine for j.
Henry Albers, head of one of the lar
gest milling companies in the west,
who was convicted of violation of the
espionage law. Albers, who, with his
brothers, came from Germany to the
United States and made a fortune
estimated at many millions in the
grain and milling business here, was
convicted of being in sympathy with
Germany and with having offered to
bet $4,000 to so cents that the kaiser
would win the wal and rule the
world" This statement, with others
of a similar character, was made
while the United States was at war
with Germany. Albers was also
charged with having said hat Ger
many is a better country than Am
erica.
He has lost his $4,000, for the
court takes that sum from him in
the form of a fine. That will not
hurt the millionaire German traitor
to his adopted country, out the SEN
tence of three years in a prison will
give him time to reflect upon the
evils of speaking when drunk, what
he thinks when sober. Albers' plea
IN justification was that he was in
toxicated and was both bibulous and
babbleous."
This paper is in receipt of a long
letter from Albers Brothers Milling
c0mpany in which objection is taken
to an editorial in this paper on Feb
ruary II, in which this case was
mentioned. The editorial dealt with
n news dispatch to the effect that
wholesale grocers had ceased to
handle Albers Brothers products for
the reason that the people refused to
buy them after the president of the
company had been arrested for dis
loyalty. The secretary of Albers
Brothers Milling company complained
that the editorial and other adverse
criticism in other papers, was hurt
ing Albers Brothers business and
was unjust to the firm, inasmuch as
j. Henry Albers had been deposed as
president of the company and was
no longer interested in it in any way.
The writer did not attempt to justify
the conduct of J. Henry Albers, but
pleaded that the company in which
ho uuoc forro ar1x, ir4orocfoI chor,1I I
be punished for the acts of a for
mer official.
There is much truth and merit in
this statement, but we think the sug-
gestion of a Moscow merchant who
had ceased to handle Albers Brothers
products because the people would
buy them, is right. He said:
'1The only way for this firm to get
its business and regain the con
fidence of the people is to change
making a fine line of goods. There
las never been any complaint about
the quality of Albers Brothers prod
lcts, but the people will always con-
lect the name of Albers Brothers =
With the man convicted of disloyalty
nd they will not p%atronize a firm
that name We believe the
uggestion is a good one and, if fol-
owed, will do more to place the
PRODUCTS of this firm back on the
market than any effort to palliate
r excuse the crime of j. Henry AL
ers, or any effort to show he is not
in the firm at this time.
Governor Davis seems to be giving
very section of the state a square
cal. He is going about his work
owly, deliberately but methodically
I'd taking no steps without first
that he is right. He prom
to give us a real business adj
inistration, and he will probably n
cceed better than most governors
10 make such promises, for he is
successful business man and is alb
Iutely honest and fearless. The
1census of opinion is that Idaho
5 a splendid governor and that his
plan of governing the state by
le departments will prove a sue
IS.