Page:Jay Lovestone - What's What About Coolidge.pdf/7



Where our new President stands in so far as Soviet Russia is concerned can be seen from this gem culled from his speech delivered before the Vermont Historical Society on January 18, 1921: "Russia is under a despotism more despotic than ever was administered by a Czar."

So energetic a "Red-baiter" was Coolidge that he even took it upon himself to write a series of articles captioned "Enemies of the Republic" in that well-known barbershop and kitchenette journal the "Delineator." This was supposed to be a series of articles, commencing June, 1921, and exposing the "Reds" in the American colleges and universities.

Little need be said in reply to or quoted from this excursion of our President into such noble efforts at saving the Republic. The best characterization of this series in behalf of the "Fatherland" is found in the following telegram sent to Coolidge by the State Board of AdministationAdministration [sic] of North Dakota on July 9, 1921: "We are surprised that a man of your exalted position should give currency to a story which has been proven false."

President Coolidge had quoted Congressman O. B. Burtress regarding the placing of radical books in circulation in school libraries.

There are many representatives and champions of Labor imprisoned today because of their loyalty to the working class. President Coolidge has not raised a finger towards releasing these innocent workers. Coolidge has now announced that he will follow the policy pursued by Harding of not granting amnesty to all of them, but of examining each of the cases separately.

In the meanwhile, in less than two weeks after his taking over the Presidency, Coolidge has already hastened to pardon criminals. On August 16, he gave freedom to "John J. Walsh and James McLane, sentenced to from five to seven years in Atlanta Prison in connection with the theft of a $1,000,000 consignment of liquor from the Black Rock Yards of the New York Central Railroad. Walsh was a Sergeant and McLane a Lieutenant in the New York Central Police Force."