The New York herald., 1922-08-22
Truckload of Revolutionary
Propaganda Found in
Fosters Offices.
ACTIVE IN RAIL STRIKE
Labor Leader, However, Is Alb.
solved From Blame in In
diana Crash.

Special Dispatch to THE NEW York HERALD.
CHICAGO, Aug. 2l.-Engineer Edward
Coy and Fireman Frank Lubbs, killed
in a wreck of a Michigan Central ex-
press train near Gary yesterday, came
to their death "as a result Of plot to
wreck the train." Coroner's jury at
Gary decided to-day after hearing wit
/ nesses testify to finding spikes pulled
from the ties.
Federal officials and two State gov
ernments conducted Investigations.
working on the theory that direct ac-
tionists among the striking railroad
shopmen caused the smasllup.
One theory is that terrorists were
trying to derail limited passenger
train, which ordinarily would have hit
the weakened track just at the time
of the accident.
Luckily the limited was preceded by
long delayed baggage express train
The steel baggage cars were torn to
junk as the train rolled into the ditch
probably would have been killed.
! The triple investigation is being han
dled by J. p Rooney. head Of the Chi
cago Bureau Of the Department Of JUS
tice; States Attorney Grove Of Cook
county and the Lake county. Indiana,
authorities.
Leagues Omces Raided.
Mr.. Rooney dispatched special agents
TO the scene OF wreck Indiana officials
arrested and questioned several strikers
| and States Attorney Grove raided the
offices of the Trades Union Educat ational
League Of Chicago in search of docu-
mentary evidence linking the wreck and
the radical propaganda spread among
the strikers by the league.
The Trades Union Educational League
Is headed by William z. Foster. former
w. W.. who directed the steel strike
OF 1919 for the American Federation
OF Labor and attracted much attention
by his advocacy of radical action
through the old conservative unions.
Foster was not In the Offices when Will
lam Mclaughlin. an assistant States
| attorney. led the raiders there. and said
later that he found nothing to Indicate
that Foster was concerned In the wreck
a. Gary
Foster was In Joliet. where he has
spent practically all his time since the
recent railroad riots there, In which a
deputy sheriff was killed and several
men wounded. He came to Chicago two
weeks ago. following his expulsion from
Colorado as being "one OF the most dan
gerous radicals in existence"
frllck load ~
ganda material was discovered by the
raiders Many Of the documents indi-
cate the existence OF an organised plan
for fostering the strike Of shopmen and
encouraging spread OF disorder to
other railroad unions. Several large
pictures OF Lenine and Trotzky of the
Russian Soviet we're found in Fosters
desk. Examination of the material
seized also disclosed propa ganda for the
one big union and a list of names
OF "borers from Within" through whom
Foster hoped to control the labor unions
of the country.
Picture Shows Wrecked Train.
copy OF the Labor Herald for April.
1872. was also found in the private file
OF Foster. On the front cover was a
cartoon pcturing two great cliffs ana n
chasm between. A number of loco
motives and trains were shown falling
iiito the chasm. which was labeled THE
Open Shop
More than 100 names Of persons 70
whom credentials of the league have
been given were contained in a book
marked Credentials list" Including
Joseph T.. Jones OF the United Mine
workers of Christopher. Ill. e. Curtis
Il Ilkenhaus of the jewelers. Union OF Ham
II
who was among those tried and con-
vlctcd with William Bross Lloyd
millionaire Chicago radical: Hulet M
Wells of Seattle, labor leader. and a
hundred others residing In virtually
/ every state in the Union.
Letters from locals OF the Interna-
tional Association of Machinists. one OF
/ the railroad unions on strike and de-
clared by the investigators to be an
ultra radical group. and officials Of other
organizations, many of them bitterly
radical and revolutionary in their tone
decrying capitalism and upholdng soviet
ism. were found.
Communications between Foster and
local unions arranging for meetings with
Foster were found, as well as a complete
list of places where meetings have beer
held. Talks on the ''one big union Idea
were In greatest demand.
Letters From Abroad.
Frequently there were illusions to the
work OF the league among railroad
workers. There was a notS In Foster =
handwriting. apparently directed to his
chief Lieutenant, Earl . Browder. IN
which II was said telegram was cx-
pected from the railroad organizations
OF st. Louis requesting Foster to come
and tell them his ideas OF one bis
unionism--"at a stiff price,"
That the organization for the league
/ Is of international scope was evidenced
! In several letters from England and Ger
many---in one OF which two addresses
\ we're given. one for the mailing of lettcrs
| of instructions. the other for the mailing
o. papers and pamphlets.
Although no direct chargts have been
made against Foster In connection with
the Gary wreck. the fact has been ds
veioped by investigators tina; his organ
ization has been exceptionally active IN
the Calumet industrial region.
Federal officials here do not believe
Foster personally had anything to A.
with the Gary wreck. Mr. Rooney said
In discussing the case.
i Eight men made UP the crew Of the
express train, which was speeding 70
Nhicago more than f1va hours late With
| messenger train behind Il. Five cars
wefs smashed and ten were ditche i.
/ The engine left the rails end plowed
along Me ties for ,Qfty yards before II
turned drx In thc,sand.