The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-06-09
Professional Patriots
Continued from Yesterday

to oppose amnesty for federal and state political prison
ers convicted solely for expressions of opinion during
the war; ant-radical propaganda in the public schools
through contests for prizes for essays against radical
sm cooperation with the United States Bureau Of Edu
cation in antradca chauvnistc program for Ameri
Education Week in 1924, and legislation restricting
immigration in order to promote Americansm.
1t largely the restrictionis immigrant policy
that Samuel Gompers George L. Berry, and other A.
f. of L. leaders made common cause with the Legion
They one of course in their antlred drive Inc
Legion occasionally got out of hand in labor struggles
however, of the local posts actively siding with the
employers of them in New Jersey actually organizing
strkebreakng railroad in the swtchmens strike
of 1920 But the labor chiefs overlooked these unofficial
lapses for the support of the Legion in their common
drive against aliens and radicals
Legion in Passaic.
The most recent strike breaking effort of the Legion
occurred in Passaic, New Jersey, in the winter and
spring of 1926. The local Legion Post opened relief
store to discourage pceng by giving food to workers
who stayed off the picket line The Legion also Joined
with the mill in helping to drag the Communist
red herring the trail of the real strike issue.
John Thomas Taylor legislative agent of the Ameri-
Legion in Washington, acting the treasurer Of
organization of chemical manufacturers, has been
leading the publicity against the treaty prohibit the
of poison gas warfare. Representative Theodore
Burton Of Ohio brought charges against him and sug
gested inquiry into his activities. On Friday Janu
airy 81 1927 Representative Hamilton Fish aired the
whole matter very effectively, making the further
charge that Taylor who forced the Legion resolu
ton against the treaty through in the 1926 Convention
Local Organizations.
Of the few local agencies the only one which carries
extensive and continuous public work is the Better
America Federation of Los Angeles 1t particularly
strong in propaganda by the spoken word 1t maintains
staff of saared speakers which furnishes to Rotary
Lion Advertising, Kiwanis and similar clubs, as well
to women's clubs, schools, and Americanzaton
classes One of its speakers Mr. Harry f. Atwood in
of his lectures stated that he of this country
is the open mind meaning of course tolerance toward
I.W.W.s and trade unionsts. Another speaker was
Baroness de Ropp who lost her property in the Russian
Revolution Other speakers for the Federation dressed
in the customary stage garments of Uncle Sam have
gone forth the streets carry the light of the Con-
stitution to the people.
In addition to its speakers bureau soap-box depart
ment and ncessant pamphleteerng the Better America
has organized many subsidiary committees operating
under various to carry out its purposes. An
article in Better Schools published by the Better
Schools Committee of Citizens and Teachers of Los
Angeles time ago characterizes this practice Of
the federation;
so hateful the policies and methods of this group
reactionaries that they find frequent change of
name necessary When their hypocrisy and fraud is
discovered under one name they shift to a one.
Some Of the many aliases under which this group has
hidden its identity and motives The American Pro-
teve League the Association for the Betterment Of
the Public Service, the Commercial Federation Of Cali
fornia the Associated Patriotic Societies. the Taxpay
Association the Peoples Economy League, the Tax
Investigation and Economy League; and now, having
out all the old masks, they appearing the
Committee Of One Thousand and the Committee of Ten
thousand"
Behind all these leagues and committees stands small
group Of business The article describes the
machinery;
"The constitution of the BAF. reveals state eX-
ecutive committee of nine members who elect officers
employ the manager direct all policies and control dis
bursement Of all funds. majority vote of this
mittee rules. Hence all policies appointments, and dis
bursemens Of funds in the hands of five The
membership has voice vote in the policies of the
organization in the expenditure of the money.
number Of members who contributing to the Amer
canization Fund wrote ask how the money being
expended and denied answer"
The chief effort Of the Federation has been the
pagn against the WW which has put California first
among the states in the number and vgor of it's prose-
cutions of radical workers.
A. S. Lavenson vce-president of the large Capwel
Department Store in Oakland, and director of the
Federation voiced the sentiments of the organization
1.-THE biggest thing that the Better America Fedora
ton has done is to get the criminal syndcasm act
the books and keep it there against the efforts of
those who are trying to repeal it.
81 believe in free speech provided the speaker is hon
est and intelligent But the who listen to these
radical agators not competent to pass the stuff
they hear. recently made my first visit to Europe.
We must realize that government is very young in
comparison with those of Europe. They have learned
some things there. Popular government is still
only experiment"
The Federation was also vigorously opposed to the
release of federal political prisoners and after citing
the speeches Of Deb and Others it asked in of its
weekly letters, following President Coodges action in
freeing all the remaining wartime prisoners:
"s it any wonder that rght-minded Americans should
feel that reasoning is rapidly reaching the limt?"
The real purpose of the Federation is further revealed
in speech made by Senator j. M. Imam of California,
speaking from the floor Of the state Senate
1--WE see the Better America Federation at work using
what control possesses to the special interests
Under false title which would to indicate that the
organization is aiming to make American citizenship and
better national life find it being used openly and
actively in trying to aid these corporate interests