The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-21
ROW BETWEEN
BILL and HENRY
May Be SETTLED
InactiOn on Part of State May
Mean Compromise.
Judge McDermOtt Goes to EN-
pOria to Investigate.
WHITE IS NOT ARRESTED
Allen Denies His Friends Right
to Display Placard.
Mutual Friends of Both Try to
Patch Up Trouble.
WHITE is NOT ARRESTED
Allen Denies His Friends Right
to Display Placard.

Governor Allen today sent to tn
United Press the following statemen
regarding William Allen Whites ac
ton:
''The situation as to Mr.. White has
nothing TO do with free speech or
the liberty OF the press. He is al
lowed to discuss the strike in his
paper from any angle he wishes. AS
an individual editor he can give any
advice he sees fit. He has been do
ing this. Some of his editorials
have encouraged the spirit of vfo-
lence. He has printed in his paper
the editorials from the Illinois labor
papers excusng and condOnng the
Herrin massacre.
There is no state in the union
where so much liberty of free speech
and a free press exists as in Kansas.
His violation of the law which has
brought on the present situation was
in joining with the strike leaders in
an organized effort to build up in
all shop centers against those who
were at work an atmosphere of hos
tility by hanging in the windows of
the stores n card prepared by the
strike leaders, declaring that that
store was in favor of the strike and
the strikers.
This movement is interpreted to
be n well organized conspiracy for
the purpose of aiding the strikers to
stop transportation 1t was their
effort to line up the entire cOmmun-
ity in an expression which would
increase the hostility toward the
men who were ut work and make
more difficult the operation of the
railway industry which constitutes
the Offense against the Industrial
act. The complaint against Mr..
White is rs to his conspiracy with
the strike leaders. 1t does not seek
TO interfere with the freedom of his
speech or the freedom of his news
paper to express whatever opinions
he may wish to express.
'.HENRY j. ALLEN, Governor"
William Allen White has not been
arrested. If a complaint is filed
charging him with violating the in
dustrial court law thru displaying OF
sympathy signs for strikers, action
must come late today. State house
dopesters this afternoon saw in the
inaction a possible move to compro-
mise the issue.
Judge James A. McDermott of the
Industrial court went to Emporia this
afternoon. 1t was stated that his mis-
sion was to investigate the White
case. In the meantime nationwide
interest has been attracted to the con
trOverSy between the governor and his
bosom friend, the Empor1a publisher
Failure to arrest White, tho, was gen.
orally interpreted as state acceptance
of his position. Governor Allen con-
tinued today to emphatically deny
right to display strike sympa-
thy placards-
No Warrants Issued.
State officials refused to announce
positively the course which would be
taken in Whites case. A formal state
ment issued by the governor late
night indicated White would
be arrested But at noon today no
had been issue0.
Richard ]. Hopkins, attorney gen
eral, was apparently playing both
sides of the case. He Is reported to
have advised the governor that
action is a violation of the
law. In spite of his opinion the at
torney general seemingly sought to
all responsibility. Indications
at the state house were to the effect
that Hopkins neither directed the
Lyon county attorney to act nor acted
himself. Then in order that every
one might be happy, apparently, ne
has advised the governor that Whites
course constituted a violation of the
law
Mutual friends of Governor Allen
and White have tried to patch up the
trouble. Their efforts failed. The
governor and the Emporia editor have
not discussed the matter.
Was Champion of Court Law.
White maintains he is within his
rights in the use of free speech. Gov
ernor Allen contends the action has
extended beyond that point-that
White might take such position as he
desires in the columns of his paper
but that he cannot become a party to
an organized movement to encourage
strikers
When the Industrial court act was
passed, White was one of its strongest
champions. He made a special trip
to Topeka in 1920 and appeared be-
fore the legislature in support of the
bill. Recently White is declared TO
have taken a positive stand for strik-
ers- In a statement today Governor
Allen points 20 the recent publicatio
rim massacre On occasion he is de-
clared to have condened violence.
Situation Is Grave.
The situation is accepted as decid-
edly grave because of the position in
which White is suddenly placed as a
champion of the strike cause. Impor-
tance is added by virtue of the warm
personal and political friendship
which has for years existed between
White and the Kansas governor.
There Is no humor in the situation
for Governor Allen. He is decidedly
grave in his discussion of the affair.
Won't Take PIacard Down.
After reviewing various forms of
Dicketing practiced in the shop strike.
Governor Allen says that the recent
trouble came when placards were dis
played in stores and offices. White
posted a big sympathy card in his
Emporia Gazette office. He declared
It would stay there. too.