The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-03-27
Uncle sam, Lynchcr.

Knoxville. Tenn, has seen some strange sights
in it's historic life, but never any to equal that
OF n fall day In 1918 when a coui 2any of cavalry,
some twoscore deputies, the United States mar
shall and the district attorney, with drawn
volvers raided tho offices OF w. j. oliver cut
tho telephone wires and put him incommuni-
cado. ransackcd his papers, sliced his securi-
ties and hurried him off TO Jail
Mr.. oliver was citizen of the highest stand
ing He was not two-gun or even a onc-gun
man. lie had. never indulged In murder as "A
fine art He was not surrounded by despera-
does. a single deputy could have arrested him
and all his associates Indeed, 1t IL known that
the United States marshal suggested that
mere telephone message TO Mr.. divers office,
brought them all into custody straightwith
But an authority higher than the marshal deter
mined otherwise. At government expense troops
were summoned from Chattanooga. 1t was de-
clared that the arrests must be made in
spectacular way. The purpose was to dlscredIt
MIR. Oliver. innocent or guilty and though no
brass bands were taken along to celebrate the
great military triumph involved in the arrest OF
an unarmed peaceful citizen, the telegraph in
struments and the music of the typesetting ma
chimes were employed to spread throughout the
length and breadth Of the lond the infamy OF
the victim.
He was discrcditcd. Correspondents began
TO refuse him credit. Men naturally assumed
that he must be guilty In view of the eHtraordi.
nary military operations undertaken against
him. His finances became involved and his
health gave way lie rested In the shadows
while the government leisurcly prepared its
case for court
And then was witnessed something almost as
extraordinary as the arrest itself for after the
government had presented all OF it's so-called
testimony the court dismissed the frivo-
lous and unworthy OF consideration. Out of the
mouths OF the government witnesses them
selves, II was proved that Mr.. oliver had been
guilty of OF the things with which he
was charged instead of being enemy and a
traitor he was patriot performing notable ser
vice for his country; that conspiracy had been
organized against him, and that the vast powers
OF the government OF the United states had been
prostituted to dcfame and overwhelm him
Strange are the coincdents OF fate While
the military forces OF the United States were
operating against Mr. oliver in his home town
on a virtual charge OF treason, his only son
happened to be flying over Metz and dropping
American bombs on that Hun stronghold
Before this the government has been charged
with trying its legal cases In the newspapers Be
fore this 1t has held innocent men up to lnfamy
by detailing al length in the press charges
against them, whether justified by evidence or
not But never In the whole range Of Ameri-
can legal history, we are sure, has another such
al outrage been committed by government Of
ficas as was committed against MIR. oliver.
what the government did was to attempt to
lynch him
lie was charged with making defective shells.
But at the moment of the arrest there was in
possession OF the secretary Of war in Washing
ton an official report showing that the whole
heavy munitions program OF the government
was in state OF collapse, that lying public
statements were being made, that loaded shells
were being reported as delivered when in fact
they were at the assembling plants and would
not lit together and that the army in France
was being seriously handicapped a result II
failure deliver shells or error Is making parts
ot shells was treason, then the hand Of the gov
ernment ought at that moment TO have been
! lying heavy on certain responsible officers In
Washington who, either through Incompetence
or for other reasons, had made II impossible for
! General Pcrshing TO use American heavy mum,
| tions at all, and had almost deprived him en-
/ tiroly OF the benefit OF the superb work done
| by the chemical section of the army, Mr. OIL
ver's plant had turned out actual shells that
/ could be used, and WAS turning them out every
! day Was that his crime?
Since the government never apologies and
! seldom makes restitution II hehooves good cit
| izens who know of the affair to express to MIR
! Oliver their shame and indignation and 10 con
/ gratuate him on his successful exposure OF the
| conspiracy. 1t hehooves also the papers which
published the charges against him to publish
likewise the present facts elsewhere accurately
reCounted in this issue
Tho courts at least have not been unionized
! --Manutaeturer's lSeord.