Cottonwood chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1917-current, 1919-12-05
ELLER GRABS
|. W. ". BUNCH
TWELVE ROUNDED UP IN
IDAHO COUNTY-WERE
ON ROAD WORK.

Twelve members of the Indus
trial Workers of the World were
taken to Grangeville Friday by
Sheriff William Eller from the
highway construction camps on
Salmon river are being held in
local hotel pending investigation
by Prosecuting Attorney Burt
Auger.
The men were taken from
three camps of the Grant-Smith
construction company on the
charge of criminal syndicalisrn,
the charge being based on the
membership cards in the l. w.
w. carried by the men. Two
Of the men arrested had sub-con-
tracts for rock work on the
north and south state highway
and several of the men had been
in the construction camps since
the work was started on the
Whitebird-New Meadows link of
the state highway.
The arrests were reported to
the office of the state constabu-
larry at Boise and also the fact
that the jail facilities of Idaho
county are inadequate to accom-
modate this number Of prisoners
The county officers were advis-
ed that the prisoners can be TAX
en- into adjoining counties but no
directions were given in the mat
ter of prosecuting the cases. In
the absence of instructions from
the state department, the coun-
ty officers proceeded with these
cases the same as other state
cases arising in the county.
The Investigations made by
the officers did not disclose any
evidence that would warrant
prosecuting the men other than
that they carried membership
cards in the l. w. w. AS far as
could be learned, they have made
no effort to interest other labor
ers in the organization, have
been good workers and have
otherwise conducted themselves
in an industrious and orderly
manner.
The men were questioned by
the officers and the summary OF
the information furnished by
them is to the effect they be-
came members of the organiza-
ton while engaged in work
where it was necessary to join
the l. w. w. or leave the camps
but that they had no interest in
the organization at the time and
have not since taken any interest
in it's affairs. The men have
indicated a willingness and de-
sire to tear up their membership
cards and sign any statement Oh
obligation pledging themselves
to loyal support of the govern
ment.
The officers are fully aware
that the text of the state stat
ute provides that membership
in the organization constitutes
a felony but the view is held
that the broader Interpretation
of the law is intended to STAMP
out disloyalty and that more
harm than good would result
from the prosecution of sucl
cases as now appear to be here
1t will be the purpose of the Of
ficers of Idaho county to vigor
ously prosecute all cases wherC
evidence of disloyalty is discov
cred but it will be the endeavo1
of tn eofficers to deal fairly will
all cases that may arise.
Men are Released
After the matter had beel
thoroughly gone into by the Ida
no county officials they deeme
it advisable to release all thos
arrested after they had signifie
their willingness to Withdraw
from the organization. 1t is al
so reported that all twelve @
the men arrested were foreign
ers, being subjects of Swedel
All of the men has also promise
to take out citizenship papers a
soon as possible.