Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-06
AIM T0STAMPEDE
GOVERNMENT SEEN
Bomb 0utrages Viewed as
Work of Intelligent, Rather
Than Insane, Reds.
PLAN WILL NOT SUCCEED
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Washington has settled down to
analyze the meaning of the bomb out
RACES in cool. dispassionate fashion.
anarchists a short-sighted policy OF
assuming that the assassination OF
few public officials would terrorize
the country and paralyze the hands OF
Justice Others credit the bomb throw
Z 6fatwith more intelligence and with
subtlety of purpose that mas It's
analogy in the way the German plot
tiers sought vainly to impede the
war efforts of the United States.
The Germans used war lies ana
rumors to spread distress and dis
content among ignorant masses. VINO
were given to understand that the
government was taking away per-
sonal liberties. executing innocent
pc rsons and running things with a
high hand. The anarchists and boil
shevists who have tried to gain
foothold in the United States have
tried in different ways to undermine
Americas social structure in the last
six months. but have failed. Labor
has remained unmoved by the propa-
sanda of the reds" Demonstrations
and parades have been sQuelched by
soldiers and sailors and civilians.
Hope of Revolutionists.
The revolutionary spirit has been
given a black eye. How could it be
revived and stimulated? Possibly by
do the very things which the bolshe-
visit propagandists have been accus-
ing it Of practicing-persecuti on
wholesale scale. If Congress could
terfering with public assembly and
radical publications, IL the Depart
ment of Justice could be Influenced to
sanction the upbuilding of large
unofficial body of detectives prying
into private affairs then there would
be a continuation of the restiveness
which showed itself during the war
and the reaction against the govern
ment would breed revolutionists.
The foregoing theory appeals are
plausible to those who have studied
the psychology of the revolutionist
proclamations and the various move
ments in the United States which dis
play vindictiveness toward the gov
eminent. There is in this country to-
day a large body of people who are
being taught daily that Eugene v.
Debs and other American citizens
who were put in prison during the
war and have not yet been released
were prosecuted for thinking" and
not acting.
Want Pardons Granted.
Efforts to secure a general amnesty
for all persons convicted of talking
against the war have been steadily
growing. Many persons of promi-
nence who are not at all identihed
with the red" movement, but who
want to see it nipped in the bud,
have been urging President Wilson.
for instance, to pardon these onend-
ers The subject. has been taken up
Nv letter and cable with the Presi-
dent at Paris and Is one of the fac
tors that must be taken into consid-
grafton in studying the plans and
plots of the anarchists who are prey
ing upon those sections OF the coun-
try where friends and others in sym
nathv with persons convicted Of anti
war utterances reside.
Attorney Generals Attitude.
Attorney General Palmer told me
terdav. that he hoped I would make
clear that the Department of Justice
was neither cowed nor stampeded by
the recent bomb outrages. Also he
has said that he doesn't see the neces-
| sity for extra legislation. he oeneves
| homb-throwers should be treated as
| any other criminals and there is plen-
tv of law to apprehend and punish
| those who are seeking to make phys
ical and not political war against our
| institutions 1t is supposed that what
| the reds" would like is an era Of ex-
IRENE repression so widespread and
severe that it would naturally and
unayoidably catch in it's net thousands
| IT innocent persons. They would be
pleased if the government played into
| their bands by interfering right and
| left with established institutions and
by wholesale arrests of innocent in
| dividuals.
All Sorts of Requests.
| But no such policy will be pursued by
| the Department of Justice at least,
| though Congress is being bombarded
with all sorts Of requests to enact the
very kind of legislation that SO many
conservative minds in Washington fear
would do more harm than good.
| Trouble enough occurred during the
war in trying to draw the line between
proper and improper utterapces and
writings, and the Attorney Generals an
! swer to the bomb throwers and conspi-
q fN