The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1920-06-18
KATE 0'HARE
RELEASED, NOT
PARD0NED

'ottAit correspondent, FEDERATED Press
| Washington-Kate Richards O'Hare
who was recently turned out of pris.
on by Wilson, was not pardoned by
the president and none of her civil
rights have been restored. Her re-
lease from the Missouri penitentiary
was effected through a Communication
of sentence, without any intimation
by the government that she was un-
justly convicted.
Your correspondent was given an
official definition of Mrs. O'Hare's
status by the Department of Justice.
The assistant to Attorney General
Palmer in charge of such matters,
who insisted without an explanation
that he must neither be named nor
directly quoted, made the following
statements:
Mrs. O'Hare was set free because,
aside from her political opinions, she
is worthy woman, and because the
attorney general believes she has
been sufficiently punished. The gov
eminent does not recede from its be-
lief that she was justly convicted and
sent to prison. If she employs her
freedom in "lawful" manner and
refrains from making wild speeches."
the president may be expected to
give her full pardon some day and 80
restore her civil rights. Those rights
can be restored in no other way.
The offer Of Mrs. O'Hare's friends
and counsel to prove that she was the
victim Of q conspiracy growing out
of fractional Democratic politics has
nothing to do with the communication
Of her sentence, the Department Of
Justice official continued. The at
torney general, he said, had reached
his decision in her case before the
committee of the Socialist National
Convention visited the White House
and the Department of Justice in be-
half of amnesty. On the occasion of
that visit, he declared, Palmer told
the socialists that his mind was fully
made up respecting Mrs. O'Hare. No
friend or lawyer for the prisoner had
then or subsequently laid before
Palmer any fresh evidence or petit
ton in the case, the same subordinate
said.
It was explained to the official that
Mrs. O'Hare's friends believed she
was being further victimized by the
Department of Justice, since being
turned loose without her civil rights
at the very time when she was pre-
had been in the wrong from the be-
ginning of her prosecution.
TO that view the official retorted
that it was the custom of radicals
to violate the law and then try to
prove they neved had done so, and
that Mrs. O'Hare's supporting were
acting true to that alleged precedent.
The attorney generals assistant
private secretary told the reporter he
was of the impression that documents
to substantiate the reported miscar-
riage of justice in Mrs. O'Hares
case had been laid before Palmer by
one or more women prior to the visit
Of the socialist delegation. Palmer
was engaged all day before a COM
mittee of Congress and could not be
What the assistant attorney gen.
eral first quoted says about Palmer's
early decision to commute Mrs.
OHare's sentence Of the interview
throughout by the socialist commit
ee's description of the interview with
he attorney general. The commit
ee reported that Palmer expressed
/ deep interest in the conspiracy
harge, and in their presence direct
ID his pardon attorney to receive and
consider the fresh evidence which at
orney George Roewer, of Boston,
member of the delegation, said he
ould furnish. At that time the at
orney general made no mention of
he communication of sentence device
which was later resorted to.
Upon your correspondent distinct ..
was made that the admin t.
stration had hit upon u typically Will
oman subterfuge in the fight to pun t,
III political independence. While re-
using to grant either amnesty or ,
arion to it's victims, the Depart !
tent of Justice can, by following the
''Hare precedent, try to still the ris- ;
~ tide for justice by crippling its
risoners by means of communication of
entence and turning them loose y
'ithout their civil rights and still 5
Dmpelled to grovel before hostile ,
xecutve power for liberty to en- !
age conscientio,tsly in politics Of
heir own choosing
YYYN