The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-01-06
PALMER DEMANDS LAW WHICH WILL
REACH LONG G-HAIRED MEN AND SHORT
HAIRED WOMEN PROMOTING SEDITION
Attorney General of United
States Declares There Is Now
No Way Of Getting to Parlor
Bolshevists Who Are Citizens
Asserts Popular Demand
For Immediate Drastic Regu-
latiOn
(Thc Associated Press. J .

Washington, Jan. 5.-Unablc to
prosecute the +so-callcd parlor BolshG.
visits. long haired men and short hair
ed women, who encourage agitators
and promote sedition as q l+astime At
tOrncy General Palmer today issued nn
appeal to congress for prompt action
on the bill submitted hy him several
months ago and which would strength
on the hands OF the department. OF
justice in dealing with American citi-
zcns considered dangerous to the ma
ton.
Coming on the heels of the most
successful nationwide raid ever made
in this country on centers Of radical
propaganda, Mr. Palmer's statement
was regarded with unusual interest by
representatives and senator's here for
the rcconvening Of congress tomorrow.
CITY OFFICIAL on LIST
At least one of the. men taken in
,, the raids IL pity official and 1nmcr-
Gus others are natives of this country
or have taken out citizenship papers
after long residence. 1T is these. that
Mr.. Palmer desires ohandlc through
the federal courts rather than to
leave their punishment to state
tribunals and in the absence Of fed
cral law he Is unable To- do so.
"In order chat the department Of
justice" Mr. Palmcr'S statement said.
may deal forcihly effectively and
quickly with seditionists who are Am
crican citizens who are seeking to in
jure or destroy the government. hope
very earnestly that congress imme:.i-
ately upon the reconvening on Jan. ..
will enact into law measure ade-
quate to meet the grave situation now
confronting us.
NO REASON FOR DELAY.
"Thcre exists no reason for further
delay in the enactment of such a law
and 7 confidently expect that there
will be none. That Scditionists should
be punished is denied by no loyal citi-
zen and that our present laws are in
adequate is questioned by none famil-
lar with the facts.
Several months ago in appearing
before a senate committee | mad"
clear the fact that the department OF
justice was unable to proceed properly
against seditiOniSts because of a lack
of statutory definition of the crime
and also suggested the kind OF law
which l thought would meet the sitra-
tiOn.
"Sincc that time the bill ] outlined
has been introduced in the house by
Representative Davcy Of Ohio. and il
now is in the hands of a subcommittee
consisting of Representatives Huestcd
Of New York, Graham Of Pennsylvania,
and Hard Of Ohio. EpitOmiZcd. the
bill. after properly defining acts Of
scdition. would provide for a fine Of
not more than $1,000 or mprisOn-
mcnt of 20 years or both for any per-
son guilty Of Scdiion. Il fine of not
more than $4,000. or Imprisonment Of
not more than 10 years Or both for
any person guilty of promoting sedi-
tion. fcr tho deportation of any alien
convicted Of either Of the foregoing
crimes and for the decentralization
and subsequent deportation Of any nat
uralizcd citizen guilty of either or both
Of these crimes.
COUNTRY SHOWS APPROVAL.
The conntry's response ic the intro
duction of this measure leaves no OK
cuse for single moments unneccs-
sary delay in the passage Of it.
"Thc patriotic press of virtually
every state. without regard to politics.
has indorsed the bill as the kind which
must he enacted into law if the SUI
premacy Of our government is to he
maintained /. Organizations of many
classes including posts Of the Amcri-
can legion have gone on record ,lil-
uualifiedly in favor of the measure.
Individuals have written hundreds OF
letters indorsinc the bill. In truth, it
has been hailed generally by rcd
bloOded Americans as measure with
teeth in it and that is the kind Of
measure the department. Of Justice
must have if it is going to stamp ont
this grave menace of sedition"