The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-13

the Department of Justice merely
turned over to the Michigan authors
ties information which it had come
upon accidentally"
Daugherty Ignores Letters.
For all its falsifications, however,
the letter plainly admitsl not only
that federal agents participated in
the raid (Which was, of course,
brought out in the testimony at the
Foster and Ruthenberg trials them
selves) but that they actually initia-
ted the whole proceedings.
This letter from Grim, which lets
the cat out of the bag completely,
was received only after protracted
preliminary correspondence with the
Department of Justice, in the course
of which the Washington officials re-
sorted to every available trick of
evasion.
As early as August "a, 1922, the
American Civil Liberties Bureau had
directed the following inquiry to At
torney General Daugherty:
eve note the extensive reports of
raid on what is alleged to be a
convention of the Communist Party
of America held at resort in the
state of Michigan, the raid being
conducted by representatives of the
bureau of investigation of the De-
partment of Justice. May we,
therefore, ask on what theory the
federal government has acted, under
what authority and under whose di-
rection?"
Instead of answering, Daugherty
lodged the whole issue. He merely
declared that none of the persons
arrested were charged with violation
of any federal statute and that they
had been ARRESTED blythe state au-
thorities' under the state syndical-
ism law of Michigan.
The Civil Liberties Bureau imme-
diately replied: 1--WE think you mis-
understood our inquiry which was
directed not to the charges against
the men, but to the presence of fed
eral officers in making the arrests.
According to newspaper dispatches,
the arrests were not made until or
ders were received from Washing
ton"
Agents Institute Proceedings.
Daugherty thought it best to ig-
more this letter. And on September
10, Assistant Attorney General Will
lebrandt warned the Bureau to mind
its own business. Mr.. Willebrandt
wrote:
eff the state authorities consider
they had sufficient evidence upon
which to arrest, il is no concern of
this department or of an unofficial
organization or individual not retain
ed by them, as TO how the state pro-
cured the evidence"
But the Civil Liberties Bureau was
determined to get at the truth and
neither the lies of Daugherty nor
the studied evasions Of Mr.. Willie
brandt could stop it. After a series
Of fresh rebuffs on the part Of the
so-called Department Of Justice, the
Bureau addressed Mrs. Willebrandt
as follows:
1--WE are merely inquiring whether
operatives Of the department partici-
pated in the arrest and prosecution
Of certain individuals who were not
charged with violation of any fed
eral statutes" You are of course
aware that the appropriation grant
ed for the purpose Of enforcing the
statutes Of the United States ano
does not in any wise relate to the
enforcement Of the statutes Of the
several states. We receive with sur.
prise your suggestion that it is moi
the right of any citizen to be in.
formed as to whether or not officers
of the federal government are actinp
outside Of the scope Of their func.
tions authorized by law"
It was in response TO this that the
Illuminating letter from Assistant
Attorney General Grim was received
Well, He's Still At II.
To begin his campaign for dele
| omkma - ALa n.-.~a-mAs.