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Show 0EP0RWI0I Ml RID FIE' EFFECT PALMER TELLS HOUSE (Positive Intention of Uncle Sam to Punish Reds Brings Order, He Says SEDITION BILL HELD FAR TOO DRASTIC There are 50,000 Members of Communist Parly in Nation, Is Claim NEW YORK. Feb. 4. "Deportation of radicals, country-wide arrest of others and the vigorous enforcement of existing laws has given notice that the United States Intends to keep or- der and has helped to improve condi tions," Attorney General Palmer today! told the house judiciary committee. ' The positive intention of this government, gov-ernment, to 4.jninlsh 4 crimes ,ofvA'reds"-j and- eomnSin Isle-has. created-a-Xstate of order wbich would have been impos-, sible without arrests and deportations.; he added. "Some misunderstanding exists in i regard to my attitude towards this-legislation." this-legislation." he said, "some said I had ' "a plain cage of cold feet', others'that, I bad 'turned tail'. That of course is i not correct. I did not attend because j I could not give support to tlie pending rule for the Sterlin-Graham bill." Far Too Drastic More harm than good wjuld comej from repressive legislation, Mr. Pelm-1 er said, adding that pending measures' were so drastic and far-reaching that j they would over-reach tho purpose fori which they were intended. "The situation calls for legislation of simple character guarding the bill or rights, but filling a hyatus in laws which exist in present statutes," said Mr. Palmer. ' There is no federal statutes which are adequate to meet the situation. A condition of revolutionary intent exists ex-ists In this country on the part of' part of aliens and citizens sufficiently: widespread in character to merit con-j sideration by congress. Threats arei written by persons who would injure and overthrow the government. Rights to Speak "And these threats which are being circualted on the part of such persons are the kind which do not entitle those who employ them to the guarantee of the so-called right of free speech." Mr. Palmer said he disagreed with those who claimed revolutionary utterances utter-ances should be met by arguments instead in-stead of statutory laws. Declaring that because of apparent dilatoriness in stopping "red" activities activ-ities last summer, every newspaper in the country had "spouted" anatheme, Mr. Palmer said the department by giving advance notice of intended widespread violence against the government gov-ernment had blocked any great disturbances. dis-turbances. Firmness Means Order "Order can only be maintained1 through firm enforecement of laws,"! he added, "justice can not come to anyi part of the population without absolute abso-lute observance of law and order. There are 50,000 members of the communist com-munist party in this country and the communist labor party is even larger."! Mr. Palmer read a number of excerpts ex-cerpts from anarchistic literature rev' olutionary in character and said no existing ex-isting statue- made the printing audi circulating of such documents unlawful. |