| OCR Text |
Show W. Z. Foter, Carl Peterson i and A. E. Reese Definitely Connected With Strike. SCHEME TO DISRUPT BIG BROTHERHOODS Department of Justice Has Positive Proof of Dates For Strikes. WASHINGTON, April H. By The Associated Press V Dopariment of justico investigators report that evidence evi-dence In their possession proves that William Z. Foster, leader of Ihe ill-fated ill-fated steel striVc, is tho prime mover behind thoi"outlaw" railroad strike. The government let this be known tonifrht, feeling that ivhen the strikers learn what influences are behind tho movement they will align themselves with their recognized organizations Action by the government in tho direction di-rection of prosecution of strike leaders, lead-ers, therefore, will bo held Jn abeyance abey-ance pending the expected reaction among tho strikers on receipt of information infor-mation showing tne directing impulse ot the strlko agitation. The ovidenco In tho hands of Attorney Attor-ney General Palmer shows that Foster Uas present at union meetings which Iwere adjourned to moot in other halls, 'not as organizations, but as ir.'livid-juals. ir.'livid-juals. Mr. Palmer also said that Carl Pltrson and A. E. Reese, both of whom I the department's Investigators have placed in the category with Foster, vere r 11 ensnsred in attempts to expand ex-pand tho strike and were definitely connected with planning it. Both bo-can bo-can this work in Chicago, Mr. Palmer paid. Preoldnt Moots Cabinet. As this phase of the striko situation became known, President Wilson met his cabinet for tho first time since last August. Tho whole story of the strike crisis was related and it was under- i stood a decision -was then reached to .t ek a solution through the publication of the motives behind the walkout, tho strikers beinpc assured at the same time of early consideration of any wage demands they may have by the railway labor hoard. Till nillcsf nnf hn fnntnioH in ihmii line government has adopted a policy I of hands off, It was said, but rather that officials believed the time has i r.o'. arrived for direct governmental action. Labor Board Not Confirmed. The senate did not confirm today the nominations to the labor board. They were considered in executive session and the president's selection brought shnrp criticism in some cases, It was understood. Leaders asserted tonight that probably prob-ably they would bo confirmed with little delay unless definite ground for opposition developed from inquiries some senators were making. Plan to Disrupt Brotherhoods. Mr. Palmer made public evidence of plans prepared by Foster and his adherents to disrupt tho four great railroad brotherhoods and to organize all railroad workers into ono union. Seized documents also revealed that a similar course was to have been followed fol-lowed in various other Industries where crafts aligned with the American Ameri-can Federation of Labor would be urged to reorganize under one name. "We have positive proof of the pians for this e5pansion," Mr. Palmer said. "I kno"v the dates fixed for notlonwlde strikes In other Industries and our Investigators In-vestigators have discovered that the fomentation of these outbursts has gone on exactly as in tho railroad strike." Russian Radical Plan. The whole program was one phase of the plans of tho Russian radicals "designed at the ultimate capture of Irdustry, the overthrow of tho govern-rnent govern-rnent and the setting up of dictatorship dictator-ship like that in Russia." Mr. Palmer said. Workers wero being led unwittingly unwit-tingly into the trap set for them, ho added, through the Industrial Workers of the World, and the communist in-trrnatlonale in-trrnatlonale headed by Lenine and Trotzky was attacking America's Industrial In-dustrial life. Federal agents had intercepted a courier from Russia on March 1, he 3ald, bearing messages to American locals of the communists, detailing methods of organizing a class war. Radicals Urged to Start Revolution. The radicals were instructed to direct di-rect their utmost efforts toward drawing draw-ing the proletarian masses into the pathway of revolution. The organization's organiza-tion's first goal; tho mossnge said, must be the wrecking of the American Ameri-can Federation of Labor and it ought to establish direct and closo relationship relation-ship with the I. W. W., and the "one big union" of Canada. Tho I. W-W., the word continued, was to be the tool employed and It was to establish the basis for uniting all unions under the One big union idea. As a result of these disclosures, the government has broadened its investigation, investi-gation, agitators in all Jabor organiza.-tions organiza.-tions are under surveillance. Funds used are closely watched and all duos to tho source of the financial support are being followed. |
