The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-01-07
Foreign Anarchists Planned {
General Uprising of Aliens
in America
COUNTED ON COAL
AND STEEL STRIKES
Menacing Revolutionary Plot
Nipped in the Bud By Decided
Government Action

Washington, Jan. 3.-Radical lead
ers planned to develop the recent
steel and coal strikes into a general
strike and ultimately into revolu-
ton to overthrow the government, ac-
cording to Information gathered by
federal agents in Friday nights
wholesale roundup OF members Of
the communists and communist Ia
Dor parties. definite program to
expand the two labor disturbances
for the purpose Of blotting out every
semblance of organized government
was disclosed in evidence gathered in
half score Of cities. This data, Of
icials said, tended to prove that the
nationwide raids had nipped in the
bud the most menacing revolutionary
plot yet unearthed.
Officials indicated that both groups
Of radicals were only awaiting an op-
perfume moment to carry on among
other classes Of workers the same sort
Of agitation employed among the steel
workers and coal miners. Among the
foreign element Of the communist
and communist labor parties informa-
ton described as conclusive revealed
that the pay rolls had been loaded
with agitators to be sent suddenly to
every fertile field in support Of gen
eral strike campaign.
During the last two weeks of the
coal strike. communist agitators were
discovered to tave penetrated practi-
cally every mining center east of the
Mississippi river. Evidence showed
that in several instances, where. min
ers had voted to return to work, the
communists had spread their propa-
ganda Of destruction OF the govern
ment to such an extent, it was said,
that few, if any, miners actually got
back to: their jobs.
Attempts to incite the. mine work
ers to violence were the most bold
ia west Virginia, officia1s said, serious
trouble being narrowly averted there
But all soft coal regions were infested
and much of the data leading up to
Fridays nation wide raids were gath
cred by secret agents circulating
among the mine workers and com
ing in contact with the agitators them
selves, it was disclosed.
The raids also disclosed that a
"slush fund had been created by the
two parties, against whom the gov
ernment moves were directed. Much
of this money, said to run into sew
eral millions, had been set aside for
use in baling out adherents Of the
doctrine in case Of arrest for sedi-
ton and teaching Of violence.
Proof was said to have been OBJ
tained that in the case asita-ors who
went among the steel and mine strlk-
ers funds for bail were made avail
able in every section frequented by
Red" agitators. Their plans for Or
ganizatien of the workers in support
OF the communist cause were pictured
as more complete than even politi-
cal campaign. It was evident, OIL
Gals declared. that the movement was
ripe and that settlement of the coal
strike had been a keen disappoint-
ment to the radical leaders.
Assistant Attorney General Garvan
made public tonight the departments
memorandum submitted to the Bureau
Of immigration. upon which was
based the government classification of
the communist and communist labor
parties as coming under the Espion-
age Act. This disclosed that both
groups were pledged to fight any sug-