New-York tribune., 1920-09-15
Barrels of Whisky
Ordered for Mess
BY Prison Soviet
Organization Upheld by
Baker mt Leavenwor&h
Stripped Officers of
Power; Refused to Work
Special Dispatch to The Tribune


KANSAS CITY, Mo, Sept 14.-Pris-
oners in the disciplinary barracks at
Lcavcnworth, Kan. had Soviet gov
ernment for sevcxal weeks in 1919, ac-
cording TO the official report filed in
the Federal Court at Topeka to-day by
Oscar Schmitz, special agent of the
Department of Justice. The Soviet
system was sanctioned by Secretary of
War Baker and continued in operation
tor several weeks, according to the
testimony given in the report
!he prisoners made their own soviet
PRISON rules, this evidence showed :,
they obeyed such of those issued by
the army officers as they, the prison
ers. desired They had their nrune
juice whisky in barrels in the mess
room and IN the auditorium. They de-
manded this or that privilege and
got it. N
The barracks prisoners were CON-
sclentlcus objectors and other violators
of military laws.
Mr.. Schmitz questioned prisoners and
prison officers. their testimony being
taken H., by an otTicia! stenographer.
lhe fac: Is admitted that the soviet
was sanctioned officially by Secretary
baker, and the army officers in charge
OF the barracks had to submit to the
soviet.
Frederick Stone. a prisoner, testified
that general uprising Of prisoners oc-
CURED when 113 conscientious obiectors
were released by order of the War D.
partment with allowances and back nav.
he also said that on Christmas Eve
the men protested that they were not
getting enough food. lie said that pans
rnc potatoes were hurled at Colonel
Rlco, commandant OF the barracks. rntil
ne gave them more bread.
James Wilson, another prisoner. tos-
':hed that meeting was held in a
4, wing OF the barracks, at which a
prisoner named Smons said prisoners
ought to have self-governnent and NO
posed strike. Next morning the mon
when assembled in the yard refused to
work
Gordon R. Patterson said Colonel
Nce gave permission 70 the prisoners
70 torm committee of eighteen. They
conferred with Colonel Rice and were
gwen room for headquarters. They
ore" UP resolutions addressed to Sec
retary Baker demanding reduced sem
tences or general amnesty. He said
that Colonel Rice, with tears in his
eyes, promised that no man would be
punished, and said that Colonel Rice
wen: to Washington and gave the
resolution to Secretary Baker.
The men then resumed work. In re.
gard to the soviet committee rule.
Captain J. D. Miley, assistant execu-
tive OF the barracks, testified:
1T is rather hard to explain what
i: was, at one time, the power that was
given to them; they probably pretty
nearly did run the jail They prac-
tlcally did as they pleased. We had
no checking on them. except what the
committee would report to US. The
committee didn't check them as they
should have. During the committee
rule the discipline was the poorest dis
c!pllne have ever seen anywhere.
poorer than conceived Of until |
saw it,"
James ". Wilson, prisoner te stifed:
Now, like if man refused to work
on gang, stalled, and got the report,
instead of going to the executive Office
we sent that man down to the judiciary
committee and we held court"