RAIDS ON REDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19846, 15 January 1920, Page 3

RAIDS ON REDS.

HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS.

A PERNICIOUS ORCANiSA-

T3OH.

. Recent cable messages report tho activity of the United States anthori-. ties in rounding up undesirables fot subsequent deportation. Action was first taken early in November, and the proceedings are reported as follows in the New 'York “Sun”:—

’WASHINGTON, November 3. Federal agents operating under the Department of Justice have made practically a clean sweep of the Union of Bussian Workers, an insidious organisation of radical Reds of several years growth that was plotting the overthrow, of 'the United States Government and the hoisting of tlio Red Hag in America.

Hundreds of arrests have been made throughout the United States and more a»e in prospect. In the capital of the nation fifteen of these radicals were rounded up to-day and are being held practically incomunicado. They have been active in Washington for months and were planning violence agnnst the Goto) nment here. The.organisation has not been'connected with the bombing outrages, the Attorney-General and other officials f-sy. Activities of Government, agents h- rs and elsewhere are being masked pending further arrests. Several of those wanted escaped the first haul of tha dragnet last nkht and tho second haul this morning. Officials say, however, that they will bo within the hands st tho law before they can escape. MEETING RAIDED IN CAPITA!,. No specific charge has been placed against the radicals held here. They are in custody of local police and aro enforce! a’s held for tho Federal Government. The. raids being completed to-night have been planned for many months and they cover half of the States of the Union. Tlks larger eastern cities, however, have been the centre of this particular Red activity. Tho Department of Justice let it become known to-night that Adolph Schnadcl, described as “the brains of the Union of Russian Workers,” was arrested ten days ago and is now at Ellis Island awaiting deportation with Peter Eianki, who succeeded Schmulci as general secretary of the organisation. BOMBS ARE FOUND. ' Included in‘the articles seized in.iho raids were quantities of materials for, the manufacture of bombs, counterfeiting plants, counterfeit banknotes, rifle*, revolvers, red flags and thousands ot pieces of inflammatory red literature. Tho Union of Russian Workers has boon active iu the United States for seven years. Its machinations antedate the world war, and it is expected that the mysteries'of the organisation when completely unravelled will show, that the seeds of the Russian revolution were sown in'this country and that Lenin and Trotskv did not rise to a. sudden opportunity ‘when tlio Osar was overthrown. Though none but the most general details will be made known by Department of Justice officials, the story ot the organisation and its activities will,it is expected, outdo ibo Arabian Nights and even the most lurid stories or noli- I tical plot in fiction. EXPULSION OR PRISON FOR REDS. . ,• The .campaign is only a part of a uetennined effort by the Government tp cue down al!-revolutionaries in the United States and to put into prison or beyond the borders of the nation all those who plot, conspire or scheme against the Government and American institutions. Chief Flynn was commissioned in rid the nation of these radicals,a- nd he is working under the direction of Assistant Attorney-General Gxrvar in chai ge of all investigation w-mc Ns tar ns can be learned there is no,connection between the organisation and alleged Labour organisations in this country outside- tlio A.F. of L. It is under,-Mood, consequently, that tho arrests are not connected with the r jre . seat industrial nnert

tells OP SOCIETY. . Mr Garv.in, in a statement to-dur. told as much of it- as will bo made pil . b, T C L a V h r f time. It follows; the Union o'. ■Russian 'Workers is oral more rndic-.u Umr; the Boklieriki. ji was organised i;i New York in 1807 P a g r0 ’~ P of t ' lerc '» men. led by WiL bMuor, ut ike present the Clpet ‘ 0 :c P 1 -’‘•"■’graa. The purpose of the society was } 0 amalgamate all or ilio Russian groups in the United States into one organisation. With the aid of newspaper find other propaganda the S^ ll, P tho Union'of* 'Russian \ oikeis grew until at tho present time its tneniberump is ,about 7000 and its brandies number more than 100, located in tho principal mties of tho country the sole ?,r oUS h J h «« "Gaumed' for tr ne r <*, spreading the cinenne ot tne organisation among tho Hinsmti immigrants working iu d,o S c t±T’ ia f°T- ««« «»* and ..iwmillis nnd other centres of labv" nn! Propaganda is conducted »aJi 0 V Te ? atnro an(l lectures as well n S through the radical nowspaneiK Lecturers'art* sent out b v the eitßi~« oomnnuec of tho group and Cr all parts of tin? country. Funds of the or pulsation are derived from - dim* i e( . s^r" 8 *"' 3 * BELIEVES IN MASS ACTION. ° f llus ' ia:! Worke, ' K ll; >- *;- re V 'l 1 mass action, inchidhm ttOff aC f Oll ” l t;1 ; )e °- 2* - eat national Rohhcrjh‘farm' 01 ? 153 d ° “ 0t f;rroUi ' i!l ' ! iois.im.lv imm of government, but tlmj are willing to occep . tilG ’ Oi any raojcnl or group of men ;! s an ?,svh T' j for } furth f ing their own pa. titular ueeds. And while „ ot sup. porting tlio bolshevik movement <u Sinmd V lt?^ - q ' GJil:i i tbey are ' Kcretlv M.ppau.ngiu i n order that tla-v niar tiuough it. achieve, their end.".’'’ '.cK-ied in tho raids hat night was ;> portion--of tho “ constitution” of -,J-n n :'; M f l u mt .y< ?*«?»« officials declared ft.is the most ir.fiamnmtorv of amdocuments yet taken. One* section of hr Tn™?h Ut r iefcy ww diri,lwl mo opposing classes. These, it sc id.

; lu* aowfitrodden workers and ncasnius on one new. producing !,v their *!J rk nJ J, the ricJies of the world fon i!m other the ncii people, who Hare grabbed ab die nches into their hanj.. Many a time the class of the oppress'd f l w tl,e rich p ai ' asitw ««-.i thou faithful servant and protector ■ Urn (.■overnmuiil-.-to conquer its fnii liberation from the yoke c f oarnLiipn I'.nd political power. But 0V( ;.. V ‘ it paltered defeat, not being full-,- con scions of its own final goal and means hr winch tiio victory can ho accomplished thus remaining only a weapon m the-lianas of its enemies."

i Tl’.e “Constitution " said further that there w-na-“n. prime importance in ' the necessity of building up a wide revolutionary organisation of toilers, which by conducting a direct- struggle.with ;,-ii the institutions of capitalism and government, must train the working does to -initiative and independent action " Tn;s, training,- the “ Constitution ” explained, - was necessary if the people must be educated to the absolute necessity of.a general strike.