The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-11
THE
WASHINGTON
SCENE
By HENRY ION
Federated Press)

WASHINGTON. -(FP)- In pre-
paration for state legislatures which
meet this coming January are foul
bills, two of which represent serious
threat to the liberties of the American
people in general and to American
workers in particular.
Working at the job is the Federal
State Conference on Law Enforcement
Problems of National Defense, an out
growth of a conference of state law
enforcement officials held here last
August and 6 under the auspices OF
the department of justice.
This conference proposes to submit
to the legislatures which meet next
year model bills. One of the bills
deals with the prevention of sabotage
while another deals with the creation
of a state guard.
The sabotage prevention bill makes
criminal of anyone who Intention
ally impairs or interferes with prop
erty with reasonable grounds to be-
lieve that such act will hinder, delay
or interfere with" national defense
One who induces another person
to do such an act is punishable by
| five years in jail and $4,000 fine while
the person who does such an act is
liable to 10 years in jail and $4,000
fine.
A newspaper editor who advises
workers not to work unless they get
wage increase might fall under the
penalty for inducement The right to
operate a plant for profit has often
been construed as property right
and strike that would close the plant
would thus interfere with property.
Another section of the bill makes a
criminal of one who Intentionally
makes or causes to be made or omits
to note on inspection any defect in
any article with reasonable grounds
to believe that such article is
intended to be used in connection with
national defense or" is one of a
number of similar articles some
of which are intended to to be used"
The question Of whether a man in
tended to make defective article or
intended to pass upon inspection such
an article would be left up to a jury
operating in an atmosphere of war
time excitement
A mans writings, mans speech
made publicly or privately, the jury's
Interpretation of what man said
could be used to send the person to
prison for a long term.
A jury of businessmen might well
decide that an ardent unionist inten-
tionally failed to note defect in an
article or Intentionally made a defec-
tive article. The notions that unions
are un-American has by no means dis
appeared in many communities.
The bill does have proviso that
nothing in the act shall be construed
as impairing the right of organization
or collective bargaining. The anti
trust laws have a similar proviso.
The proposed state guard bill en-
powers the governor Of a state to ac-
cept volunteers for an armed, uni
formed, paid guard with powers to
catch "saboteurs," to pursue them into
other states and to serve other states
which seek their help.
The guardists while inactive service |
are made immune from arrest for
anything except treason or felony
AS important as the terms of the |
bills is the fact that they are bills |
which are proposed for enactment by
state legislatures which means that |
they would be enforced by state and
county units and in state courts with
out any supervision by the federal
government.
During the last war the department
Of justice took great pains to central
ize prosecution for violation of war
statutes and in October 1918 instruct
ed all U. S. attorneys to get permits
sion from Washington before proceed
ing with cases under the espionage or
treason acts.
Even such a procedure did not