The Topeka state journal., 1921-04-25
URGE N. P. L. HELP
''American Civil Liberties
Union" Advises Burton to Talk.
Director Says "Victims of Mob"
Are Making Mistake.

Cooperation with the state authori-
ties in investigating the recent
mobbing of Nonpartisan league or
ganizers at Great Bend was urged on
Kansas Nonpartisan league officials
in a communication sent today by the
American Civil Liberties union, a ma
tional free speech organization with
headquarters in New York city. The
action followed receipt of advice that
]. o. Stevic, c. o. Parsons, Prof.
George Wilson, and ]. r. Burton, the
men who were mobbed, have refused
TO testify in the investigation because
they believe it would be conducted by
officials favorable to the mob and is
intended to whitewash the whole af-
mir.
Albert De Silver, director of the Civil
Liberties union, who sent the commu-
nication to j. Ralph Burton of Salina,
attorney for the men mobbed, said
that his organization had received
scores of inquiries about the mobbing
from all over the country, and that
the serious issue involved demanded
the completion of the investigation
which Governor Allen has ordered.
Dc SiIver's Letter.
De Silver's letter on behalf of the
union, follows:
1--WE wish again to express our con-
Viction that you and your clients are
making a serious mistake in refusing
cooperation and in refusing to make
any statement to the attorney general.
When mob violence occurs, it is al
ways to be desired in the public in
terest that those responsible be
brought to justice. If the OFFICIALS
charged with the enforcement of the
law fail to take action appropriate to
this end, it is desirable that they be
,,,bIicIu r1Iacad in tho nOSifiOn of re-
fusing to act in the face of the facts,
so that the public may see and know
that they are delinquent in their duty.
To accomplish either of these ends, 1t
is necessary that they publicly be given
full and precise information in regard
TO the facts.
Gives Opportunity for Charge.
I'VE understand that you and your
clients have refused to make any
statement to the attorney general in
regard to the mob violence of which
you were the victims at Great Bend.
Such refusal on your part tends to
defeat both of the results which the
public interest demands. for it with
holds from the public authorities the
information which is needed for ac-
tion by them and at the same time
gives them plausible excuse for their
failure to act. Mo, cover, it gives to
them the opportunity to charge that
you are not 6eHulHSly 1uItIcSlSu Ia
bringing the mob leaders to justice
but are more desirous of making po-
litical capital out of the incident. So
long as you persist in your refusal to
make a statement to the attorney gen.
eral, it is not surprising that such a
charge should be made, and it will
continue to be difficult to make ef-
fective answer to it.
I'VE note the suggestion contained
in your letter that the governor and
the attorney general sympathize with
the mob at Great Bend. We believe
that such considerations are wholly
irrelevant to the course 'of conduct
which you should adopt. If you are
correct in your estimate of the bias
of the state Officers, there is no better
way to prove it than by publicly plac-
ing all of the facts at their disposal
and by then calling public attention
to their inaction. If you are wrong,
the ends of justice may be served by
cooperating with them and no harm
can possibly be done from any point
nf viz