Evening star., 1923-12-16

countries which took part in the war
had released their war-law prisoners
the United States should do likewise.
Officials OF the Chief Liberties League,
who received the news OF the Presi-
dents action with qualification, in
dicated that further efforts would be
made to obtain removal Of the con-
ditions attached by President Hard
ing last June. when he granted thirty
conditional combinations.
Representative Victor Berger, socia-
list of Wisconsin. who has been active
in the movement to obtain the release
OF all war time prisoners, declared in
statement last night that the Presi-
dents Communication order was a wise
and Just act"
The plea for amnesty had been pre-
sented repeatedly to three national
administrations. The action of the
President will bring about the release
before Christmas of thirty-one men
now serving sentences in the federal
prison at Leavenworth. Kans.. for vio-
lation of the espionage act. Two of
these men were convicted at Kansas
City in 1919 along with .twenty-four
other alleged members of the ]. w. w;
nine of them were convicted in Chicago
together with William D. .("Big Bnlo
Haywood. general secretary-treasurer
Of the I. w. W., and the others were
found guilty in Sacramento. In 1919.
Mr.. Coolidge acted upon receipt of
a recommendation for amnesty from
the special committee he appointed
several weeks ago to make q disin-
terested study of the question Of
clemency for war-law violators. This
committee was composed OF Newton
D. Baker. Secretary Of War during
the war period; Maj. Gen. James G..
Harbord, who served overseas as head
Of the service of supply o. the Amer
lean Army, and Bishop Charles Ii.
Brent of the Episcopal Church, who
was chief of the Army chaplain serv-
Ice during the war.
Special Committee Report.
The report of the special committee
was not made public, but the White
House announcement of the Presi-
dents action said a majority of COM
mittee members favored amnesty.
Although the basis of the Pres
3
was understood that he exercised
clemency in the belief that sufficient
punishment already had been infiict-
ed and the continued detention OF tho
thirty-one men would serve no use
full purpose. Department of Justice
officials pointed out that the Pres
ident in nowise condoned the Of
fense as in none of the cases were
pardons issued.
Most of the prisoners whose SEN
tences were committed today were
incarcerated at Fort Leavenworth.
Kans. The prisoners and the places
where they were convicted are as
follows:
Sacramento-Elmer Anderson Har-
Try Brewer. Robert Comedian. Roy p.
Downing, Frank Elliott. John Graves,
Henry Hammer, William Hood. Harry
Gray. Chris A. Luber. Phil McLaugh-
lin, George O'Connell, John Potthast.
Edward Quigley, James Quinlan, My
RON sprague. Caesar Tahib. Jacob
Kansas City-wencil Francik. F. ].
Gallagher.
Chicago. ]. Bourg, Alexander
Cournos. Harry Lloyd. Burt Lorton.
Charles H. McKinnon, James Rowan,
James P. Thompson.
All at Leavenworth.
<AAA Va ShV ASShCAo dIC All tn0 LSQ~
eral prison at Leavenworth. Kan.
Those sentenced from Sacramento
were convicted January IL, 1919, and
were sentenced for ten years.
The two cases in Kansas City were
concluded and sentences pronounce
December 8, 1919. Francik was or
i dered to serve seven years and six
! months and Gallagher was sentenced
| to eight years in prison and costs OF
| the case.
! The convictions in Chicago were
obtained August 80, 1913, and the
sentences pronounced In those cases
were as follows: Bourg. Lorton and
! Cournos were sentenced to ten years
/ in prison and fines of $4,000 each;
Lloyd was ordered to serve Ave years
, in prison and pay q fine of $2G.0v0:
McKinnon was sentenced for five
years in prison and fns Of SO. eco,
, Thompson's was for ten years, with
a fine of $4,000. and Rowan was
sentenced to twenty years IN prison
and fine of $4,000.
All Of the convictions were on sub
stantially the same charges. Depart
ment Of Justice records show that
these charges included conspiracy
the prosecution OF the war" and to
"intimidate citizens In their legal and
constitutional right In furnishing war
ther conspiracy to violate the espion-
age laws by attempting "to cause in-
subordination. disloyalty and refusal
iS as yns DUTY BY San
obBtructing tho draft also was made