The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-03
Allen Arrest of Bill White Pro.
vokes Chicago Comment.
~Henry and Me" Sending Let
tiers to Paper ON Attitude.
TRIBUNE SUPPORTING WHITE
Say so Per Cent Sympathy Isn't
Any Radical View at All.
Aliens Letter and Whites Are
Both Printed There.

Chicago, Aug. S-''Henry and Me-"
in letters to the Chicago Tribune,
published today. defended their re-
spective positions in the controversy
over the placard recently displayed
by william Allen White, the Me- of
the combination in the window OF his
newspaper office at Emporia, Kan.
Henry Henry ]. Allen
of Kansas-sayS In his letter: IT OBJ
serve that you are laboring under the
impression that William Allen White
is being prosecuted for violation OF
some law which relates TO free speech.
the law which Mr.. White violated was
that which guarantees to every man
freedom to work.
He entered into a conspiracy with
others to intimidate the men who are
working. I don't wish to utter dis
agreeable note but it must be perfectly
obvious that If you had had in Illinois
a law of this character there would
not have existed at Herrin, Ill., free-
dom to murder those who were ex-
ercising their constitutional rights to
be employed in useful labor"
Answers His Letter.
The Tribune, in a published state
ment, answers the letter OF Allen By
saying:
His opinion may be based on some
facts which we do not know and which
he does not state. Mr. White put a
placard in his window expressing him
self AZ per cent in sympathy with the
strikers How that in the faintest
way was part of a conspiracy to in
timidate men at work we cannot see.
If he did not have the right to make
that statement in his paper. or other
wise, then he did not have the right of
free speech in an industry controversy
which admittedly is not yet settled
even as to the equities involved
THE Kansas law, prohibiting strikes
in certain essential industries, makes
the method of their protest illegal in
that state, but if it is applied to pre-
vent an expression of opinion. is
tyranny"
''Keep Out of Illinois,"
The statement, taking up the gov
errors reference to Herrin. says:
illinois has laws which fully cover
that case. Legal precautions were
not taken and legal consequences may
not follow but that is not the fault Of
the law. 1t is the fault of a coD1mun-
fty which refuses to apply the law and
we do not see how anything can he
done about it without trsspassinG
upon long tried Aclerican institu-
tons"
Mr.. Whites letter says in part:
MY utterance did not need a pos
ter, but what hurt me was my friends
on Commercial street. business men,.
bankers, doctors and private citizefe.
who own no newspapers and who
That I might have the test with the
sting out mean the sting Of being n
radical strike sympathizer-I cat
down the percentage Of sympathy 20
SO per cent. which, being translated,
was the average mans view. Then I
defied the law because the legislature
not being in session I could not take
part in a fight to repeal it,
He Took Poster Down.
"Annuiment was my only course.
But after the case was filed l took
down the poster; it had achieved Its
end"
He continued by saying the indus
trial question must be settled by rea-
son and not by force, and added, land
il it is settled byreason, we must
to every man free utteranca
of what he finds best suited TO his
place in the world. We must only
make him be temperate"
The letter continued in an explana-
ton of Whites views upon govern
ment and the rights of individuals un-
der the government. 1t was publishe ed
without comment by the newspaper.