New-York tribune., 1920-04-30
Attorney General Expose
Conspiracy to Slay High
U. S. and State Officials
and Other Noted Men
General Strike
Also Is Called
individuals Marked for
Death Warned and Pro-
tective Measures Taken


WASHINGTON, April 29.-Fed-
eral and state officials in various
parts of the United States have been
marked by the Reds for assassina-
tion next Saturday, according to an
announcement made this afternoon
by Attorney General A. Mitchell
Palmer, on information collected by
agents of the Department of Justice.
Included also in the list of marked
men, Mr.. Palmer stated, were promi-
nent citizens in different parts of the
country. The assassinations, he
stated, have been planned as part Of
a general strike demonstration which
the extreme radicals have called for
May Day.
"The department" the Attorney Gen.
cral said, "has warned all those whose
names are included in the list of
marked men and has taken steps to
furnish them with protection. I am
hopeful these measures will prove
effective"
The Attorney General also said that
the department has been in conference
with the officials Of various states and
cities for the purpose of devisipg pre-
cautionary measures, both as regards
assassinations and the general strike.
He refused to make public names of
individuals slated for attack by the
Reds, or the state governments called
on to aid in frustrating the plans of
the plotters.
Three Organizations Involved
According to the Information collect
ed, the demonstrations, planned by agl-
tators of the Communist party, the
Communist Labor party and the |. W.
W., are intended in part to force rec
ognition of the Russian Soviet govern
ment and establishment of friendly re
latons with Lenne and Trotzky.
1.-THE information that comes to u.s.
said the Attorney General, Indicates
that the plot is nationally organized
We rely in great measure on advance
publicity to frustrate the plots. just as
such publicity blocked the plans for
the general strike called for July 4
last"
Mr. Palmer stated the Reds were
obviously trying to organize the work
ers as effectively as they appear to
have done in France for the May Day
strike.
Program Somewhat Upset
II feel, however," he said, chat our
action in arrestng their leaders and
deporting numbers of alien agitators
has upset their program to great ex
tent"
The Attorney General said that 80
far as the department was advised the
,oi i1roc dc IN ho ct 10
plans and there is no evidence that
the leaders Of the recent insurgent
strike are in any way connected with
the plans. He declined to say wha.
industries were affected, but declared
all might be classed as basic ones.
Mr.. Palmer made public photostat
copies Of Communist Labor" the
official organ of the Communist Labor
party, calling strike for May ], and
trial before the Secretary of Labor to
determine whether its alien members
are subject to deportation as persons
advocating forcible overthrow of the
government.
Text of Radical Appeal
The leading article of this issue.
dated May |, 1920 contains the follow
ing appeal to the workers Of the coun-
try:
Down tools May l. 1920!
"May / is the workers day. The
revolutionary advance guard of the
proletariat calls upon the workers
everywhere to break the bondage of
economic and political slavery and
demonstrate on that day for the cause
of real freedom!
"May l is not labor day, decreed
to you by the powers that be to dope
the workers into the belief that the
government stands above the classes.
No. May is the workers own day, on
which. by their own determination, they
lay. don tools and test their strength
."On May l the workers exercise this
mass action. demonstrating no more
for the eight-hour day. but for the die
tatorship of the proletariat. On that
day we down tools to show our de-
termination to fight and our power to
win"