Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1923-03-02
State Federation Not To
Withdraw From
Its Stand.

q.,s military police bill, or SO.
- ~ tate constabulary bill, now
Sas'.sng s-ss in the Illinois legislature, Is
Gseossed by Secretary victor A.
Olander of the Illinois State Fedora
- Of Labor in letter to Secretary
A. A. r Johnson of the Rockford Cen
ia labor Union, as follows:
Chicago. ILL.,, Feb. IA, 1928.
an. AT C. johnson, Secretary,
porkford Central Labor Union,
lO2 East State Street,
Rockford, Illinois.
ipear Sir and Brother:
"The representatives of the Illinois
Chamber of Commerce are resorting
n secidedly questionable methods If,
os insicated in the news article you
fora,s srded to me, they are endeayor-
he n convince the citizens of Rock
FORD that the Illinois State Fedora
ion Of Labor has shown disposition
n compromise with the promoters of
the scheme TO establish a state mill
tarv police force in Illinois.
aThere has been and will be no
conference between the officers of the
Illinois state fcueIaioh VI
and the group of unscrupulous adven-
turers who established headquarters
in Chicago a few years ago and who
have since devoted their time and
energies in the promotion of the So
called state constabulary bill as a
means of financing themselves and
securing funds from bankers and 9TH
er bushes men.
"The Illinois State Federation of
Labor is an American institution and
as such ii can not, without disre-
garding the American principles for
which il stands, agree to the estab-
lshment of any such form of highly
centralized irresponsible military
power as is provided for in the So
called state constabulary bill. We
shall continue to oppose its. passage
in the state legislature and il, by any
mischance, it should be placed upon
the statute books we shall appeal to
the courts against it and to the peo-
pie generally.
"The bill is an attack upon the Re-
publican form of government as
known in the United States. | am as
tonished to learn through the news
paper article which you sent me that
the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, at
least its president, and the Rockford
Chamber of Commerce, have appar-
emily been misled into supporting the
measure. We must, however, assume
that they know what they are doing.
1t is now pending before the Conn.,
mittee on Military Affairs in the Sem
ate as Senate Bill No. 49 and pro-
videS for the establishment of
purely military force, organized in
troops, under the command of an
officer to be appointed for the long
est term permitted by the constitution
that is to say, an appointment for
life-subject to removal only for three
causes as stated in the constitution.
This officer and his subordinates are
to have autocratic power to invade
any community at any time and for
any reason that they may see fit un-
DER the guise of law enforcement.
The bill does not provide for
rural police patrol to be spread over
the country highways of the state for
the protection of farmers, as alleged
by its supporters, but offers only a
small compact, highly organized body
Of troopers to be housed in barracks
and who are to have the qualifications
required of applicants for the posi-
nons in the army. It provides for
practically no ordinary duty of any
Kind whatsoever.
The dangerous political signifi-
canoe Of the military police bill be-
comes very apparent upon examina-
uOn Of the West Virginia law. That
state, which is one of the backward
states OF the union in the matter of
progressive laws, recently established
constabnlary system but found it
necessary to include in its law Sec
aons prohibiting any member of the
loree from remaining at or near
poillng places or political meetings
aunng elections and further prohibit
ing any member of the force from
eoiolng policital office until some
ume after having retired from the
sonStaoulary service. In other words,
was recognized that statewide high
centralized control which is part
u any state police system carries
"ltn II the power of political control
over the citizens.
The Illinois bill, according to its
pomoters, was inspired by the Penn
!Nanla law under which that state
S constabulary system. The
'ei'hsyiVanla system, according to