Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-11-14
REMEDY FOR RED
ACTIVITIES SEEN
INSEDITIONLAW
4
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Copyright, 1913 for Jourual.)

(Copyf1ghr, 1S4S Tor Jopcnal.J
WASHINGTON, Nov. Bout
breaks in the state Of Washington by
the L. W. w. resulting in the death
Of four overseas veterans on Arm
istice day have had the effect in
the national capital of reviving dis
cussion Of the legal steps that can
be taken to crush such movements
in America.
AS usual there is a tendency to
shift responsibility from one branch
Of the government to another, Sena-
tor Poindexter, of Washington, hlam-
ing the executive for supposed len:en-
cy in enforcing the law and the de-.
partment of justice, on other hand,
printing out. that congress was ask
ed as early as last June for laws
that would enable the government to
reach anarchists and nothing has
been done.
The goat" If there must be one, is
the uncertainty which prevails over
the legal status of all legisla+iCn
passed for the duration of the war
and the fact that the peace treaty is
yet unratified.
During the war, the espi mage act,
passed by congress after weA:y
struggle by the executive branch Of
the government, was suffiC eNt TO
reach radicals who plotted the over
brow of our institutions. But 1t is
an open secret that the espionage
law is not now being enforced and
has not been virtually since the arm
istice. That law specifically named
offenses committed with the intent
and purpose of aiding "the enemy
while the United States was at war.
But none Of the activities IF the
radicals are now directed IN aVor
Of Germany or of any country that
might be technically construed as
still a belligerent. They are direc ell
States alone. They are in
ternal rather than international IN
their particular significance.
Remedy In sedit1on Laws.
so the remedy must be sought in
federal statutes previously on the
books, namely the sedition laws. Ac-
tuaI seditton, that is resistance to
federal authority, already is covered
in the statutes. Conspiracy for Sc
dition, that is plot on the part
of two or more persons to resist
or attack federal authority, also is
covered by existing laws. But there
is nothing to bridge the hiatus be-
tween the two sets of statutes. Advo
cacy Of sedition, for instance, on the
part of an individual is not punish
able nor is an individual attempt
to stir up Sedition when separated
from an overt act of sedition. Thus
individuals can go up to the point
Of melting others but the government
must prove completely on the part
Of each individual caught with other
individuals having the same purpose.
And the radicals have legal skill
enough to take advantage of such
lOopholes.
The offense Of sedition is I'M
defined. Attorney General Palmer
appeared before committees of con-
gress as early as June of this year,
shortly after the bomb outrages, and
asked for legislation covering these
points. But nothing has been done.
Congress has been immersed in 9TH
er matters. The senate has spent
practically all it's time on the peace
treaty to the exclusion of much
business of a vitaj characted. The
| legislators have claimed that the
peace treaty was of paramount i'm
portance but both sides probably
will admit that much time has been
spent in useless debate that might
have been spent profitably in pass
ing laws that would reach the radi-
Gals and anarchists who wish to over
throw the government itself.
Government Now Powerless.
Condemnation of the assault on
the soldiers at Centralia, wash, is
heard on every side vet the federal
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