New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-06-18
SERIOUS CHARGES BROUGHT
AGAINST ATTORNEY GENERAL

Libelous, if untrue, are the charges
brought against the Department OF
Justice by the National Popular Coy
ernment League with the written en-
deFsement of twelve prominent AT
orneys whose positions make them
responsible. In formal statement is
sued by Mr.. Jndson King, Seereta-
ry Of the League, ne charges are
made against the Department ul
Justice relative to its manner OF pro-
ceeding against men suspected
of radical activities inimical
to the Government. 1t is needless to
enumerate these nine charges. Two
of them are sufficient to make a case
Of libel against the officers OF the
Popular Government League, and the
twelve signers of Its report if the
charges are untrue. These two char
Ces are
"l.-Wholesale arrest and imprison-
ment of men and women without war
rants or pretense of warrants and
illegal searches and seizures in via-
lation of the Constitution.
2-Forgery By agents of the De
partment to make cases against in
nocent persons caught in illegal
raids"
Attorney General Palmer can sea-
rcelv ignore this Indictment Among
the men who appended their sigma
lures are Frank p Walsh. former
Joint Chairman with ex-Presdent
Taft on the National War Board.
and Felix Frankfurter, former assis-
tant to the Secretary OF War and
Ass stant Secretary of Labor by viz
tue of a commission signed by Wood
row Wilson. Other signers are for
mer United States Army officers.
law school professors and practition-
ers at the bar in the principal ci-
ties of the United States.
Article " OF the Constitution de
clares that the right OF the people
to be secure in their persons, hou-
ses, papers and effects against un-
reasonable searches and seizures shag
not be violated, and no warrants shan
issue but upon probable cause sup
ported by oath or affirmation and .
particularly describing the place to
be searched and the persons or
things to be seized This provision
the Popular Government League and
its endorsers declare was violated by
the Department of Justice. No less
serious is the charge that forgery
has been committed by Government
agents in an effort to make cases
against innocent persons who were
in Illegal raids. IF these
two charges are true, the Depart
ment of Justice has become depart
ment of Persecution.
II would seem to those who have
observed the course of the radicals ,
in the last two or three years that
there would be no need for either
forgery or unlawful arrests aud sci
zures in order to make a case against
those who are enemies Of the Gov
srnment. The activities of the troub- ,
e makers has been so open and ag- ,
gressive and the funds Of the De ,
oartment of Justice have been so ,
arge and its agents so numerous T;
hat there should be no difficulty in
'pprehending the guilty without re-
,ort TO unlawful means. I:
Whether there was in fact re- 1
iori TO unlawful means IS ques- :
iDu Wlilln AHt ldNfAdH GdUlDl al
empt to decide IF the charges are {
rue and improper methods have been
'ursued in proceedings against one
lass of citizens. she liberty Of nn
'ther citizen is safe so long as ~
ame men continue in power A.
urney General Palmer has been ro- :
unsuccessful in his efforts ]
o convict enemies Of the United {
'sates His failrire is douhiv reprehen- {
ible II he has rsef unfswf-i means
& well as Lawful means. Prcsiden'
wilson owes II 70 the country t. 6
scertain whether his attorney gener- =
] is guilty as charged or whe'he- r
1en he has heretofore houored with 4
Of higesi trust are making q
heious acc1sations AGAINST the most y
nDortant Of his cabinet members Mr. 4
'airner owes II - himself and t0 (,
he country TO either admit tbc tru- c
hfuiness Of The accusations and
isrniss from his deoartrnent men
no are responsible for the wrongs. II
r to prosecute the men who Rave It
rought the charges against him. Il