The producers news., 1919-11-28
backing for it.

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The city press and the depart
ment of justice at Washington
are in a humiliating position ov-
er the shooting at Centralia,
Wash. We were told at first
that there was a blind, stupid,
vicious assault ON a parade of
marching soldiers. The depart
ment of justice acted as if this
were the proved fact. Those of
us who do not sprinkle salt on
press reports naturally felt pref
ty indignant too.
But the local coroner's jury
has failed to fix responsibility
for the killings and has returned
an open verdict. 1t could not
do otherwise in the face of
sworn testimony of men in the
parade that a raid was made on
the workingmen's boarding
house before the shooting from
it began. During a temporary
halt of the parade someone sug-
gested a raid on this place.
II spoke up and said | would
lead if enough would follow"
testified Doctor Frank Bickford,
one of the marchers, "but be-
fore | could take the lead there
were many ahead of me. Some
one next to me put his foot
against the door and forced it
open, after which a shower Of
bullets poured through the OPP
ening about u.s."
If there were criminals in the
house they should have been
apprehended by the police. 9th
erwise their dwelling was sa-
cred against mob violence and
in resisting the mob the occu-
pants were merely defending
themselves.
The press has endeavored to
keep up the first false impress
sions by stories about desper-
ate battles with fugitives in the
bad lands. The posse met no
one who offered resistance, be-
sieged a deserted cabin and
succeeded in killing one of their
own number.
Reports from Italy declare
that less than half of the llgible
voters voted in the general cleo
tion last week. How they turn
ed out in France is not stated,
but a decline in the number of
Socialists elected would indicate
a small vote by the so-cailed
radical elements. In the Brit
ish general elections last fall
only about half turned out and
a good many Labor party men
lost by the failure Of workers to
GO to the polls. Yet Europe is
supposed to be stirred as never
vene in Russia properly and
questions.
What is the explanations I'm
doubtedly the growth Of the di-
rect-action idea. There has al
ways been a school of radical
thought which declared political
action impossible. Their num-
bers have grown rapidly of late,
due to the way fair political ac-
tion has been denied to those
who oppose the ruling politi-
clans. Our own country is run
ming into the same danger.
which is greater than any radi-
cal vote could be.
Few will question that fair
elections have been denied by
our politicians here. Farmers
uniting for political action arc
denied free assembly and free
speech. Opposition papers are
driven out by Postmaster Bur-
Ieson. Illegal raiders descend |
On Socialist head, ,uarters ane
destroy the campaign literature
paid for by the pennies of the
poor who want to vote the So |
cialist ticket. Where the radi-
Gals win they are likely to be
counted out.
We are going to see more and
more of this as the time passes,
and every autocratic act will add
% the. number of those who
preach the folding OF, hands and
for the violent revolu-
ion. A Farmer-Labor party is
assured for the United States
lnless too many of the workers
ire driven into this extreme
,rame of mind by the outrages
against political action.