Music and Bombs

1920

Music and the making of bombs do not go together, and the man who is radically against his government has no music in his soul, asserts the New York Mail. These facts are both evident, say reports of those who have investigated the homes of "suspects" for the Government.

"No musical instrument, not so much as a harmonica, has ever been found in a home that was raided by Government authorities in connection with Bolshevism," says M. M. Roemer, member of a music goods sales corporation.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 6.

Two Jobs Well Done

By W. D. Boyce (W. D. Boyce's Talks)

The year 1919 had many problems. The biggest was to get our boys back from across the sea, get them settled in the jobs they held before the war and find other places for men and women who had taken their jobs while they were gone. The next biggest problem was the Red menace. The spirit of unrest developed by war was felt to a moderate degree in this country thru the efforts of the Bolshevists, I. W. W. and Red Socialists to make trouble. The strong arm of Uncle Sam reached out and interfered with these plans to make trouble and we are sending the alien Reds back to their fatherlands as fast as we can get ships and putting the trouble makers who are citizens of the United States, but don't like our Government, in the penitentiaries as rapidly as the courts can act. This element, however, will require constant watching.

It is amusing to see the Bolshevists and I. W. W. bunch point with pride to Soviet Russia, then kick violently when we prepare to send them back there on a free ticket. It is puzzling to the Government to know what to do with this half-crazy, insane, bombastic and dangerous element. I often have thought the best solution of the question would be to take one of the Philippine Islands or some other island we own and control and put the whole bunch — citizens and non-citizens, on it and let them run a Government of their own to suit themselves and at the same time let them feed themselves. Already we are using one of the Philippine group as a place to which we send the Filipinos who are not dangerous criminals, but who insist upon trying to make trouble for the Government. Why not another island for the Reds? They couldn't get off it and no one could get on it.

I doubt whether we have the right to send back to their native lands the aliens who develop Red or Bolshevist streaks after they arrive in this country. They may not have been that kind or held radical beliefs when they came over here, and so why should we send them back later anymore than we would deport an immigrant who came over in perfect physical condition and later developed some disease? Some day we may get into a lot of trouble with some country because we send back their citizens after they have been in the United States for some time.

In the first place we never ought to permit a politically Red or unhealthy man or woman to land in the United States. If we do we ought to be responsible for them ever after if they want to stay here, but at the same time have some place to put them if they try to make trouble for us. So I suggest that one of the 3,000 islands which we own might be used for that purpose. We ought never to let any of these aliens leave their native lands for this country until they have passed an examination and investigation by consular agents or representatives of our Bureau of Immigration. The stop order should be put in before the loss is made.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 6.

"Trial" Marriage Jails Ex-Soldier

1920

PHOENIX, Ariz. — A trial marriage contract, entered into in England by a soldier and artist's model, resulted in the conviction in Federal Court of Henry O'Brien, former British soldier, on the charge of bringing to the United States Vera Mort, for immoral purposes. The jury recommended leniency.

The girl testified she met O'Brien in London, and that he had asked her to marry him. "I said I would give him six months' trial," she said. "I promised to marry him if I liked him well enough at the end of that time."



Seven I.W.W.'s Are Convicted

Ten Were Charged With Slaying Soldier on Armistice Day

MONTESANO, Wash. — Seven of the ten Industrial Workers of the World charged with the murder of Warren O. Grimm, one of four soldiers shot during an armistice day parade at Centralia, Wash., were found guilty of second degree murder. Three others were found not guilty.

Loren Roberts, one of the trio, was acquitted on the ground of insanity.

The defendants found guilty of second degree murder were Britt Smith, Ray Becker, James McInerney, Bert Bland, Eugene Barrett, John Lamb and O. C. Bland.

ARMY PRISONERS SCORN I.W.

Refuse to Eat With Them in Camp Dodge Guardhouse.
Officers Yield and Provide Separate Mess.

Twelve soldiers of the Eighty-eighth division, confined in the guardhouse until they can be given a trial by court martial, went without a meal yesterday noon when they drew the line against members of the Industrial Workers of the World.

Fourteen members of that organization have been eating at the guardhouse mess along with the twelve men. When the latter learned the views of the I. W. W. they requested that they be placed in a separate mess, as they did not wish to eat with them.

Because the request could not be granted immediately the men decided to go hungry rather than eat at the same table with the alleged draft resisters. After the noon meal was over, arrangements for two messes were made, and last night the loyal dozen ate alone.

One of the peculiar features of the protest is that several of the twelve are socialists, but would not eat with an I. W. W.

--Des Moines Register, Nov. 10, 1917

Comment: Just reviewing a few old newspapers from the days of World War I, you can tell there was a big emphasis on "loyalty" and scorn for any dissent. In this little story, though, there's some different things going on. It sounds like they're all prisoners for one reason or another, draft resisting, being socialists.