Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-02-10
u. S. TO GUST
81 OF I,W.W,
AT ONE Time
Alien Labor Agitators, Ac-
tive on Pacific Coast,
Rushed to N. Y.

Chicago, Feb. Fifty-four
members of the Industrial Work
ers of the World passed through
Chicago last night in a special
train under a heavy guard on The
way to an Atlantic port, where it
is said, they will be depoTted at
once by the immigration author
tiles.
Forty Of the prisoners came di-
rect from Seattle where they took
part in fomenting the general
strike which has paralyZed the in
dustries of that city fer several
days.
Three leaders of the Seattle
/ strike, one Spokane agitator, an ].
/ W. W. leader from Denver and five
alien convicts who arrived in Chi
| cago, were among prisoners gath
cred into the federal net.
The majority of the men were
alien labor agitators, picked up by
/ officers of the United States immi-
grafton service, during year Of
! secret campaigning in Industrial
/ centers of the Pacific coast. A. d.
! H. Jackson, chief OF tho Seattle
officers of the immigration service
was il charge OF the party.
Delivery Plot Frustrated.
! The only attempt at a mob deliv-
/ cry of the prisoners was frustrated
/ by the foresight of the federal Off
Cials. Before the train reached
Butte. Mont. officers were warned
that the |. w. W. leaders in that
/ city and Helena had learned Of the
4 deportation and were plassing 10
deliver their comrades. The two
cars then attached to a regular
train were cut off at a junction
and set into another train, which
made a wide detour, missing both
Butte and Helena.
Several hundred men gathered
at the railroad station in Butte
when the original train reached
that point. according to reports
which reached the officials. They
were allowed to search the train
and when they found tho prisoners
we're not on board. left without
any trouble
One Woman in Group.
Only one of the prisoners made
serious objection when told of the
intention of the government to de-
port him He swOre out writ Of
habeas corpus against deportation
which was quashed by a federal
Judge at once at Spokane. One
woman, the wife Of a Finnish agi
tator arrested in Spokane was in
the party.
Five Of the prisoners are alien
conviCts who were sentenced TO de-
nortatiou some time ago.
Secret Service Keeping Tab.
The proceeding against United
States enemies OF this type is
simple" an official with the train
said Just two hours before the
Seattle strike was called we gath
cred 40 agitators into the cars with
everything cleared away between
them and the middle of the Allan
tic ocean. For more than a year
the immigration service has been
working quietly in all industrial
centers checking up on the strange
aliens who have appeared, and
gathered evidence against l. W. W,
leaders and trouble makers who
call themselves BOlsheviki,
When evidence was compiled
against this particular crowd, each
federal hearing and after finding
them guilty Rentences wore made
by Secretary OF Labor Wilson. The
secretary has the power to order
these types of prisoners deportcd
or released. and so far there has
been little trouble in getting quick
action"
The majority OF the prisoners
will be sent back to Russian PROV
inces
Ready to DepOrt Them.
New York, Feb. l0.-The fedora.
immigration authorities here arc
prepared to handle the "a Indus
trial Workers Of the World who
are on their way to New York
from the west to be depOrted by
the government.
At Ellis island, the immigration
station, no information had been
received this morning, it was
stated on authority, as to the hour
the l. W. W. were to arrive here,
but 1t was expected II would prob
ably be late today or tomorrow.
They will be detained at Ellis
until arrangement for sailings
can be arranged. The deportation
OF the several groups will be az
footed at the earliest possible mo-
mcnt, 1t was declared.
No Precautions Taken.
No extra precautionary measures
have been taken to guard the men
upon their arrival here II was
stated. From the train terminal
they Will be hurried TO the island
Inasmuch as their deportation al
ready has been ordered, here will
be no necessity for their being eE-
amined by department OF justice
officials here before being taken to
the immigration station.