Arizona republican., 1920-05-06
GAN I DEPORT ALIEN MEMBERS IF COMMUNISTS
 WILSON RULES
Membership In Party Does Not Constitute Grounds for Deportation, He Holds Decision Meets Disap- proval of Attorney Gen. era!
Republican A. p. Leased WireJ

Republican A. F. Leased WireI
 WASHINGTON, May 5.-Secretary of Labor Wilson today ruled that men.- bership in the communist labor party does not of itself constitute sufficient ground for deportation of aliens.
 In ordering cancellation of a war rant under which Carl Miller, Ger man. was held because of such mem bership, the secretary declared that while extracts from the organization pla atform indicated an extremely radical objective there was no evidence of in- tention to use force or violence toward organized government.
 Ruling Meets With Disapproval
 The department of justice frankly de- plored the labor secretary's decision. Assistant Attorney General Garvan as- serting that because of it all undesir able aliens could enter the fold of the communist labor party and be free from government interference.
 Since Mir. Wilson already has
 held that an alien could not be de-
 ported because of membership in
 the l. w. w., only membership in
 the communist labor party now
 brings an alien within the purview
 of the law providing deportation
 for those affiliated with existing
 organizations that believe in or ad-
 vocate the overthrow, by force or
 violence, Of the government.
 Secretary Wilson's Views
 "E.xcerpts from the communist labor party platform and program indicate an extremely radical objective" said Secretary Wilson in a review of the case but there is nothing in them thai discloses an intention to use force or violence or that is incompatible with the use of parliamentary machinery to J ;r.sa1 iC pressed. The belief in teaching and advocacy of the class struggle, mass action. the conquest of political power, the dictatorship of the proIetariat so- cialism, communism. the one big union. shop committees, shop stewards anu other social, industrial, economic and political changes mentioned in the communist labor party platform and program however repulSiye they may be to the minds of any or all of our people, do not bring the organization within the purview of the act as long as it does not propose to use rorce or violence to accomplish the purpose. If the American people are left free to discuss and decide the questions pre- senting themselves for consideration from day to day. uninfluenced by the threat of force or violence, they can bc relied upon to protect themselves against any false philosophers wild eyed revolutions or dictatorships of any kind"
 Gives Aliens LoophoIe.
 Commenting tonight on Secretary Wilson's labor ruling, Assistant At torney General Garvan said 1t meant tn t .'ali aliens can enter the folds Of the communist labor party and the government cannot touch theb." He added that they could advocate rev alution and keep on advocating vio lence with perfect impunity unless congress changes the law
 Mir Garvan said that until Attorney General Palmer had had an opportun- ity to study the opinion, the depart ment's course as to future action against radicals could not be deter mined
 The department of justice raids of last January disclosed membership of the communist labor party to be be- tween 50,000 and 60,000, Mr. Garvan said But he did not believe these fig ures indicated the actual strength of the group nor, he said. did they re- veal anything "as to the number of boIsheviks which will flock to the haven created by the latest ruling"
 Will Cancel 200 Others
 Mir. Garvan declared the department Of labor already had released about l 600 members of the communist labor party who were taken in the January raids, and that warrants in the cases of about 200 others would be cancelled as a result of the ruling.
 Chairman Johnson of the house
 immigration committee declared
 in a statement tonight that con
 gress. in passing the law to de-
 pidt undesirables, intended to
 reach the very element which
 Secretary Wilson held did not
 come within it's scope.
 ..If the senate will pass the alien bill, which the house pa ssed without a dissenting vote De- cember 20, last MT. Johnson said, we will be able to reach those aliens here who talk about revolution by bal lot when they cannot vote, and who, when they say ballot, mean bullet