It is still within the memory of many how the labor leader, Doak, one of the outstanding members in Hoover's cabinet, combated unemployment. Doak permitted his henchmen to arrest thousands of persons. When the latter could prove that they were American citizens or lawful immigrants, or could bring proof of good conduct, they were given back their freedom. If, however, it turned out that they had immigrated illegally, then they were deported. In this manner, the intelligent Mr. Doak reduced the number of unemployed by a few dozen.

One is reminded of that brutal and stupid method on learning in what manner certain local authorities intervene in industrial struggles. During strikes or lockouts it is the duty of the authorities to suppress disorders and 2violence. Otherwise they have to remain absolutely neutral. It is known, however, that the authorities are very much inclined to take sides in such issues. At times they are in favor of the worker, but in most cases in favor of the employer. A striking illustration of this was given by the commissioner of immigration, Daniel W. McCormick. He was recently heard as a witness before the so-called Dickstein committee.

McCormick reported that, during the strike of the longshoremen in San Francisco, 373 persons were arrested as "radical aliens." The arrests were made by the police, who later delivered the victims over to the federal authorities. The latter instituted a thorough investigation which showed that, of the 373 strikers, 262 were American citizens whose record was completely irreproachable. Their only crime consisted in the fact that they struck. Of the others, 97 were not citizens, but they had immigrated legally and nothing incriminating was against them which might give the authorities a reason to take steps against them. They were, not unlike the 262 American citizens, immediately 3set free.

There were still fourteen remaining. Of these, thirteen had immigrated illegally, but during the time of their stay they had done nothing wrong. All the same, they were deported, as the law demands it. Then only one remained, and he was a genuine communist. The result of the raid was, that of 373 workers who made use of the right to strike, a right guaranteed them by the Constitution, one was a communist. All others could prove that they had neither communistic tendencies nor did they belong to the Communist party. It was perhaps appropriate in this connection that it is no crime to be a communist, that the Communist party has an official standing and is printed on the ballot at presidential elections.

The police of San Francisco, however, saw fit to interfere one-sidedly, and to show bias with respect to the strike. They arrested 373 strikers as communists, and subversive elements and the press all over the country 4announced that the longshoremen's strike was plotted from Moscow and its emissaries. The depositions made by the commissioner of immigration are clear in their explanation that reports of this nature, to be seen daily in the newspapers, are clearly inventions.

Besides, it is quite remarkable that these depositions were made before the Dickstein committee rather than some other. Mr. Dickstein has been traveling for years all over the country to scare up Nazis, Communists, Socialists, and other revolutionists. Such practices as exercised by the authorities are more apt to contribute to the bitterness, and discontent within the population, probably much more so than all the propaganga activities conducted by the so-called emissaries from Moscow.