The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-01-01
MICHIGAN STATE
SENATOR
ARRESTED
Biddle Admits Ordering the
Arrest of Senator Stanley
Nowak, Reelected for Third
Time in Recent Election;
Bridges Action Duplicated.

Stanley Nowak, reelected state SEN
ator in Michigan for a third term at
the last election has been arrested
! by the FBI on orders from Attorney
General Biddle on charges that Nowak
made false statements on his citizen
ship application, the charge being
based on alleged membership in the
Communist party.
The National Federation for Con-
stitutional Liberties has taken up the
case and has issued the following re.
lease calling for action by all liberty
loving people of the country:
Who Is Nowak?
Michigan State Senator Stanley
Nowak, was reelected in November
for his 3rd consecutive term. He
his parents as child of 10. He mar
ried an American-born girl, and be-
came a citizen in 1897 AS an organ
izer for the United Automobile Work
ers, Nowak played an important part
in building the JAW, chiefly in the
Ford campaign He has become an
outstanding leader of Detroit's huge
Polish population. Nowak has ar
IDENTITY supported the Presidents war
policies. He has been a fearless OPP
ponent of Detroit's menacing fifth
column: Couhlin, Gerald L. K. Smith
and the Khan Nowak has been out
standing for his sale of war bonds
and his sponsorship of group blood
donations to the Red Cross.
BiddIe Arrest
On the evening of December IL, FBI
agents seized Nowak with unusual
and wholly unnecessary fanfare and
held him incommunicado overnight
Detroit papers carried a lengthy story
handed out by the U. S. attorney I'M
der S-column headlines "FBI Jails
Senator Nowak," but Nowak was not
permitted to make a statement. The
Biddle charge against Nowak stated
that in petitioning for citizenship on
December Is, 1887, he knowingly
swore falsely that he was not a dis
believer in or an opponent of organ
lied government or member of any
teaching opposition to
government. The charge is based on
his alleged membership in the Com
munist party during a period prior to
1887. Under this charge he is liable
TO punishment of up to five years
in prison and $4,000 fine, and the
90 hsr 1ft t.
to note that the arrest was
made only three days before the five |
year statute of limitations expired A
spokesman for Attorney General Bid |
lie told a delegation of representa-
i've Michigan citizens in Washington |
hat the Nowak prosecution is not a
ocal matter, but was ordered by Bid
lie. The Nowak case is strikingly |
similar to Biddle's infamous order of |
asst summer on the Bridges case:
Here again Biddle has attacked a pro-
sressive leader, ardently and effec
lively contributing to the war effort
| leader democratically chosen by the
people. Again Biddle has sought to
establish the illegality of the Com
nunist party, which also actively sup
)orts and works for the war program.
These irresponsible and dangerous ac-
ions have the effect of seriously men
Lcing the unity and morale of the
American people in the midst of our
var effort. They are the more glar-
ng when contrasted to Biddle's fail
ire to take action against such dan
,erous fifth columnists as Coughlin,
ierald L. K. Smith and the Khan.
CONTINUED on Page Four)