The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-07
SENATE TERRORIST
INQUIRY POSTPONED
Ovcrman Committee Ready to
Proceed When Plans Are
Changed.
WILL FIN GROUNDWORK
Thomas Tells of Attempt Of
Radicals in Northwest
to Defy Law.
Special Despatch TO The Sun,

Special Despatch 10 The SuN.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.--Investigation Of
American Bolshevism which was TO have
occupied the attention of the Overman
subcommittee OF ;he Senate Judiciary
Committee to-day will not be taken up
until next Tuesday.
The Overman committee was ready
to begin the probe with Albert Rhys
Williams as the principal witness, but
suddenly called halt In its proceedings
and determined OIL a serious programme
OF preparation for the Investigation.
Word was conveyed to the committee
that to begin an investigation with the
testimony OF Williams ror its basis would
be fatal to the effort to learn whether the
radical element in America is attempting
to create soviets ana spread anti-con-
stitutional propaganda in the congested
Industrial centres.
Williams arrived at the hearing room
this afternoon accompanied by his attor-
rey. Jackson II. Ralston OF Washington.
who was counsel for the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor In Its famous boycott
cases some years ago. The committee
was DESTROYS OF holding a brief execu-
tive session to determine upon it's course
of action and seriously considered exam
ming Williams in secret.
Williams announced he wanted a pub
lie hearing and right there the COM
mittee halted proceedings and deter
mined to give closest scrutiny to docu-
ments from a variety of sources bearing
on the activities In Russia with which
Williams processes such extraordinary
familiarity and which American Govern
ment officials and others who have wit
messed ind studied the Bolshevists at
close hand declare to be wildly mac
curate.
Committee Decides 10 Wait.
The. members of the Overman COM
mittee feel that the plunge headlong
into an unregulated and uncoordnated
investigation of the American Bolshe-
visits ard the so-called ''parlor Bolshe-
visit sympathizers would be fatal TO
the real purpose of the inquiry, which
Is to set America right as to the mean
ing OF the movement and the character
and calibre OF Its chief proponents
The Overman committee will spend
the intervening period between now and
the. next open meeting in preparing a
framework for the examination of OK
perts on the subject of the Russian
movement and its reflection In this
country.
The subject OF radical activities in
Seattle was discussed in the Senate to-
day by Senator Thomas (Col.). who in
serted in the record "A telegram from
Seattle announcing the intention of the
shipyard workers there to exercise police
powers and. II necessary feed the people
from public kitchens.
Senator Thomas declared that an ex-
pertinent in Bolshevism is developing in
the Northwest
III I interpret this telegram cor
rectly." said Senator Thomas. ''it means
that certain private organizations have
taken over the governmental functions
OF Seattle and that they will administer
them so tina: there will be as little
suffering as poss!.ie consequent upon
this very much disturbed condition. II
means the experiment Of Bolshevism or
the Northwest coast and is preceded by
| IA disregard of solemn agreement, which
indicates that the binding force OF com
promise is not recognized in that section
OF the country.