Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-01-24
RED CAMP AleN
Francis. FiUh~ Kane Resigns fron
E.stsrn esensys~snsa District -
Radical Policies Of Attorney Gen.
erzl Palmer Beyond aeas1n-WIh
+ Result IN More Evil Than Good

Philadelphia, Jan. % - Francis
Fisher KA1ne. United STATES arror-
new for eastern Pennsylvania who
rendered ms resignaEon yesterday.
did SC he said today, fur a principle.
In his letter 10 the President ne
said: = am obliged ID take this
step because / feel out Of sympathy
with the anti--aGicaI Policies Of Mr..
Palmer and his methods Of carrying
them out
I am strongly opposed 10 the
wholesale raidIng Of aliens that Is
being Carried On throughout the
country with view ID putting
through deportaLions under the act
Of Oct If. 1872. To my mInG this
policy Is both uuwise and unjust. !
am also utterly opposed 10 the en-
acrmenI Of a new espionage acr
with teeth N IT now that We ere,
I'd all infants and purposes, at
peace
i believe that the enforcement OF
such a new act as Mr.. Palmer has
proposed would lead 10 an entirely
uunecessary repression Of free
speech and interference with the lib
srry Of the press. 7 could not con-
scieuIiousiy and wholeheartedly
take part N the enforcement Of sucn
d law"
Mr. KANE also sem = LETTER ID Al
turney General Palmer outlining his
ne IF .yf To
radicals. He protested against the
contemplated COMMUNISTS party
raids but the attorney general wrote
he was toe late.
M. EAine disagrees with Palm
srs statement that there does not
seem ID be any question Of policy
involved IN the resolutions.
AS 7 interpret the manifesto Of
the communist party" ne wrote. I'll
does not expressly stand for the
overthrow Of tits government by
force and II Is surely question Of
policy, not one Of law. whether the
department f justice should take the
Initiative and Cause raids agaios.
The alien members Of the party.
1T is one thing ID debar Al alien
coming mic the United States by
administrative methods, but il is
qEile another 10 deprive a man who
has been here for a long time and
VINO perhaps mas q wife and children
here what W. ar accustomed ID
think OF as constitutional rights.
In the present raids. We appeal
20 be attempting To repress poIiri-
~ he. 3
which is highly objectionable 10 yDa
and me. So much I grant you, but
II calls Itself a POLITICAL party and
holds open discussions. CUnse-
quenLly We ought not TO raid il IN
less We arg absolutely compelled TO
do Sc II order 10 enforce the law for
by such methods We VIII drive IN
der ground and make dangerous
what was not dangerous before L
II necessary 10 protect our Ameri-
can working men ant the vast NUM-
Der OF steady, Iaw-ahiding foreign
born worknen. from the influence Of
handful Of Russians and Russian
Jews IN love with the Soviet form OF
government To my mind such pro
lection Is entirely unnecessary.
Munitions na1 1eacru-e-s ana
many other persons made rich by
the war are seeking To dodge the
payment Of their taxes. The en-
fOrcer1ent Of the law against them is
Of prime Importance. There also are
fraudulent CONTRACTORS vino during
the war have grown rich and there
are as you know. corrupt govern
msnr agents using their Offices for
Illicit gain. The punishment Of these
people Is infinitely more important
than the pursuit Of the Radicals"