The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-10-20
Sensational Charges Were
Made by Senator Wat
son To-day
ASKS INVESTIGATION
OF THE CHARGES
Declares Investigators of
Federal Trade Commission
Are Anti-Government

washington, IL. T., Oct. 2B,--SSenSa-
tional charges that Socialists, Reds and
other radicals are -intrenched" in the
government departments, and particu-
larly that the investigating forces Of
the federal trade commission contain
men hostile to the government and
American institutions were made in the
Senate to-day by Senator Watson, Re-
publican, Indiana, who introduced a
resolution for an investigation by the
interstate commerce commission.
Disclaiming any defense of the great
meat packers, Senator Watson declared
that the records of some of the COM
missions employees on that inyestiga-
tion showed them to be, respectively,
outspoken anarchists participants in
red parades, pro-Germans, admirers of
Lenine and Trotzky and ayowed expo
nents of soviet government.
Of Stuart Chase, who had general
charge of the investigation of the meat
packing industry, Senator Watson
charged that beside being a well.known
exponent of socialistic doctrines, Chase
was president and organizer of the
Fabian club of Chicago, "a club founded
for the express purpose of furthering
the doctrines of socialism"
Grouped about him in his Offices at
federal trade commission hsadquar
ters," declared Senator Watson, ''were
Victor Berger, Irwin St. John Tucker
and many other extreme socialists. His
Office became the rendezvous of men
devoted to the destructioR of property;
the overthrow OF government and con
summation of the ideals of socialism.
Chase, Senator Watson further
charged, helped organize a Chicago
meeting at whie Berger and other rad
icals made infiammatory speeches and
also organized meeting at which Lin
coin Steffens spoke
THAT anarchist" said Senator Wat
son, referring to Stetfens, had Just
returned from Russia and his address
was to aid in the recognition Of Lenine
and Trotzky by our government
2 Chase later wrote a magazine article,
Senator Watson said, attacking the
United States government for not rec
ognizing the Russian reds, On Chase's
specific instructions, Senator Watson
further charged, tine commission &c.
comtants inflated the showing of prof
its Of the packing companies.
Samuel W. Tator, who, with Chase,
had been in charge Of the investigation,
Senator Watson charged, was an
avowed admirer of Lenine and Trotzky
and frequently expressed his admira-
tion Of the soviet government Of Rus
sia."
"He was pronouncedly against the
allies in the world war" continued the
senator, "and frequently made the
statement that all big business should
be contiscated by the government
A. s. Kravtiz, credited IN the com.
missions report with important aid
in the investigation, Senator Watson
charged was "a Russian from Riga, an
intellectual socialist Of the most pro-
nounced type, and throughout the war
intensely proGerman.
"He has always expressed himself as
an ardent admirer of Lenine and Trotz.
ky and claims to be personal friend
of Lenine. Frequently he has stated he
was hesrt and soul for the German
cause, said the senator. Raphael Mel.
len, statistician, Senator Watson
charged, was a former preacher ousted
from his church for socialistic tenden.
cies, and also had been confined to a
military prison in 1917 as "conscien.
tious obiector."
'He frequently waved a red flag al
the meetings of his co-employes Of the
federal trade commission" declared the
senator, "and always carried the red
emblem in his pocket He openly stat.
ed that his home had been raided. HI
stored his socialistic writings in
Chase's office and boasted that the
packages holding them contained gov.
ernment dynamite