The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-26
JUST BLAME T ON THE BOLSHEV|KI IS
 COMMON SLOGAN
Charged With Causing the Plum Blight and Stealing a Float and Springboard
 From Resort Town
By ROBERT c. BENCHLEY
 Associate Editor of Life. Special Correspondent of The Az

Herald
 Copyright 1921, by The Age
 HeraId.)
 New York, June 25.-(S Especial. )-- Whatever else you may say about the bolsheviki. you have got to ad- init that they get around a lot.
 With all they have to do at home, keeping the rest of the population of Russia in subjugation, and prowl- ing about Europe and America mix ing up in practically everything that goes wrong. including tonsilitis. epi- denies and spots on the sun, they have now taken to cruising about the various seas of the world capturing innocent vessels.
 At least, that is the explanation offered by many nigh authorities for the mysterious disappearance of 10 sailing vessels from the high seas during the past year. When inter- viewed on the subject these authori- ties have expressed the belief that bolsheyikI pirates, sailing about with nasty looks on their faces and noth- ing much to do, have seized these ships and carried them. crews and all off to Russia. It would be just like those guys.
 Get Blame Anyhow
 This is probably the ultimate in accusations against the bolshevilu For three or four years now, when ever anything has gone wrong, some one mas got together a committee and, after d short and reverent delih- eration. has issued a report saying that in the opinion of your commit tee the whole thing can be traced to bolsheyik propaganda. But hitherto no enc has had the imagina tion to suggest tLat the reds were amphib- ious.
 If this be so. and if in addition to flooding the whole world with pro- paganda and fighting the various pinch-histing generals who have been sent out against them, the sov- jet government mas been able to train a crew of piI ates who can walk up to 6 sturdy American ship and slap it's face, then we may see in the very near future items like the following in tho daily press;
 Plum blight due to reds" says Gratch.
 Trained Biters Work at Night" IS experts opinion.
 Walter K. Gratch of the American Solidarity league, told 800 members of the canning trade assembled here in convention today, that he was in possession of indisputable evidence that the blight, which has been dew astating the plum crop in this country for the past three months during the height of the plumming season, is the work of no other agency than the soviet government o1 Russia.
 It would be very easy natter said MT. Gratch, for deputation of .bolshevik plum biters to land in this country, and establishing themselves in the guise of school teachers in the fruit growing sections, steal out un- der cover of darkness, and climb the trees. Once in the trees, it would be but the work of a few minutes to nbble q small bite from each plum hanging on the branches, thereby completely spelling their market value, for who wants to buy plum that has been nibbled? 1 have myself seen pieces of the fruit which bore teeth marks which could not possibly be other than those of an agent of soviet Russia"
 Red Plot Seen in Theft of Float. Summer Residents of Anybunkport Up in Arms"
 The summer colony of this little seaside resort, nestling in the foot hills of the Maine coast, is in state of high excitement over the inert of float and springboard from the bathing beach, which was discovered early this morning when James l.. Spooler, guest at the Hotel Ocean View, tried to swim out to 1t anu found that it wasn't there. Before he became aware of the fact that the nal fNtsa Alt@ Spooler had swum three quarters oi the way to Portland, Me.
 It is the opinion of most of the summer residents, and of the govern ment agents who were called in on the case, that the float was stolen by band of bolshevik marauders, who were sent out from Archangel for the express purpose of marrying the guests at Anybunkport.
 Thomas w. Waltz, president of the Victoria Drop Forge and Tool com pany, who has a summer home here, l issued to the reporters the following statement:
 For years have been trying 10 get the government at Washington to take action against red propa- ganda which has been sweeping tnls country. I have seen the catastro- phe coming for long time, which l has eliminated in the theft of this raft and springboard from our bath ing beach, and I have tried to give | warning Now thas come
 At this point MT. Waltz broke | down.
 Measures are now being urged in | Congress to have the guard in iel- 1 lowstone park doubled, lest some morning we wake up and find that bolsheviks have stolen Old Faithful. ]