The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-12-10
Minnesota Service Men Asked
to Back Washington's Pro "
test to Government
u. S. REFUSES TO DEPORT
ALIEN I. w. W., CHARGE
Ruling Called Out of Line With
Law; Broms Remains Free
Unless Baker Acts =

Journal; issue Of Dec. 81
Following The Journals disclosure
Yesterday that Allan S. nroms, Min
nesota conscientious objecter ana
communist agitator, was released
from Fort Eeavenworth prison by
mistake and only holds his freedom
by reason of intervention by Secre-
tary of War N. D. Baker, state head
quarters of the American Legion In
St, Paul, today made public plans for
a national protest of members OF the
legion against Ieniency shown reds
by officials, of the United State gov:
ernment. - ~ :
A copy Of the letter Of protest
from L. l.. Thompson, attorney gen
eral of the state of Washington, to
l.. F. Post, assistant secretary Of Ia
Dor, regarding the failure of the gov
ernment to deport dan gerous alien
agitators- was given out at American
Legion headquarters.
The letter is to be presented to
every legion post in Minnesota and
throughout the United States for the
purpose of arousing sentiment
against the laxity of federal OFFICIALS
in dealing with dangerous aliens.
7: Attorney General THOMPSON de:
clares In his letter that under exist
ing; federal laws, every aafsn membe1
Of the*I:sW. w. iss ssubject& TO depoftA-
tion;; gst;8s The ri department of labor,
which directs deportation of aliens,
has ruled that mere membership In
the 7. W. w. does not bring aliens
under the law in question. It is
against this ruling that Attorney
General Thompson is protesting and
asking American Legion posts to
join with him. -; -,
Under an act of OCTOBER Is, 1918,
Mr.. Thompson says, it is provided
that aliens shall be excluded from
the United States, "who are members
of or affiliated with any organiza-
tion that sentertains belief in,
teaches or advocates the overthrow
by force or violence of the govern
ment of the United States or of all
forms of law or that advocates
or teaches the unlawful destruction
of property
Quoting from I. w. w. literature
and the oath by its members, Mr..
Thompson asserts to the secretary OF
labor that membership in the Indus
trial Workers of the World is suf-
ticient evidence Of violation Of the
law in question.
Demands by the Minnesota depart
ment of the American Legion for an
investigation of government officials
responsible for the undeserved free
dom of Broms may become a part of
the protests against the department
of labor's attitude toward the
I. w. w., it is said.
Broms is staying at the home of
his brother, Andrew Broms, 1912 Jes-
sic st. St. Paul.
If Allan S. Broms, state secretary
of the Communist party in Mime
sota is ever returned to the federal
prison at Fort Leavenworth, from
which he was liberated by mistake,
the step must be initiated by the war
department, United States authorities
here said today.
The hands of the United States dis
trict attorney, the immigration serv-
ice, the department of justice and the
state authorities are tied by techni-
calities, according to officials here
Action by the army to return Broms
to prison has been vetoed by Secre-
tary of War Newton D. Baker, who
decided that Broms should be per-
mitted to remain at liberty. This
was revealed by an investigation of
war department records, conducted
by the Washington Bureau of The
Journal, results Of which were pub
lished in The Sunday Journal yester-
day.
United States District Attorney
Alfred Jaques today characterized
Broms' release as a mistake.
II have always thought there must
have been some mistake about his re-
lease" he said. "Broms was one of
the most fragrant offenders we had to
deal with during the war, and when
he was finally sentenced to Leaven-
worth we were glad to see his case
disposed of. He was convicted by
this department, and sent into the
army; there he was courtmaftialed
and the case passed into the hands of
the war department. I can do no.
thing. This office was never consult
ed in regard to Broms' release and
would not have favored it,"