The Washington herald., 1920-09-23
Reduction Of Funds for
Work of Bureau of In
vestigation Scored.
DISMISS MANY AGENTS
Declared to Have Been
Signal for Wide Criminal
Activity.
By FREDERICK WILLIAM VILE.

Copyright. 1890, by Public Ledger Col
Real responsibility for the bomb
outrage in New York September Ii
lies at no other place than the very
halls of Congress itself"
That was the startling allegation
made to The Washington Herald
yesterday in a high quarter of the
United States government. The au-
thority who pronounced the indict-
ment went further:
Every member of either house OF
Congress" he said, who was in any
wise responsible for the reduction in
the funds of the Bureau of Investi-
cation at the Department of Justice
is indirectly guilty of the murder of
innocent American citizens in Wall
street a week ago"
Inquiry into these accusations re-
veals that the New York disaster
followed close on the heels of the
enforced reduction of the Bureau of
Investigations staff. The cut be-
came effective three weeks or a
month ago. 1t is known in compe-
tent quarters in Washington that
the curtailment became the signal
for every anarchist in the United
States to renew his plotting and
other criminal activities. culminat-
ing in the general offensive against
the heart of Capitalism" with re-
sultant loss of nearly forty lives.
Criminals on Lookout.
1t is a welI-known saying in po-
lice. detective and Secret Service cir
cles that within twenty-four hours
after a policeman or plain-clothes
man is dismissed or resigns from the
service every criminal in the vicin-
ity is aware of it. Certainly every
anarchist in the country could not
help re aware of the drastic reduc-
tion in the Department of Justices
forces, for it was given broadcast
circulation through the nations
newspapers.
To eluc:date the charge that Con-
gressional parsimony is crippling
the Federal anti-anarchist program,
just as it is hampering the conduct
Of our diplomatic and consular af-
fairs abroad. it is necessary to re-
vert to the nationwide outbreak of
June >, 1919.
A storm Of indignation swept the
country after the outrages perpe-
trated in eleven different cities.
when the homes of ten federal off,
Cials and a church were bombed by
reds. There was a universal cry
for determination Of these enemies
Of public safety. Recommendation
for dealing with them ranged from
deportation to Imprisonment and
execution. The necessity Of stricter
laws was urged in alOmst every
quarter. Senate and House in wash
ingtOn rocked with angry. and some
times violent speeches. calling for
summary vengeance on the mis-
creants indiscriminately pilloried as
anarchists or Bolsheviks.
Reds" Ferreted Out.
In the recommendation of the
Department of Justice a fund OF
100000 for radical work was placed
at its disposal \ reorGa nization Of
the Bureau Of Investigation. which
had been under way for some time
was hastily completed. Two of the
best-knOwn detectives in the United
States, William J. Flynn and Frank
Burke. were placed in charge. An
immediate and thorough inquiry in
to all societies Of known radical
nature was instituted. The drag
net was spread from coast to coast
and from the Great Lakes to the
Gulf. Some seven or eight smaller
societies have been stamped out
since that time and their members
deported. Against the larger so.
cieties wholesale raids were ordered
such ss the one that rooted out
the Union of Russian Workers. 81
Several hundreds of it's officers were
depoTted. Raids were also made on
the Communist and Communist La
Dor parties, bringing into the net
several thousand anarchists Of va
rious shades and descriptions. all OF
them avOwed red" radicals. 1t was
claimed that the Departments cam
paign was so prompt and thorough
that fear OF its activities caused the
disbanding Of practically every an
arChistiC society throughout the Re
public.