About Face

One of the most unexpected and startling acts of the National Civic Federation, a patriotic organization which has just finished its annual convention in New York, was the passage of a resolution, by a close vote, recommending that the President parole I. W. W.'s and other political prisoners provided they affirm their allegiance to the Constitution of the United States. The resolution was offered by Archibald Stevenson, considered to be the most indefatigable prosecutor of the Reds in America, and the brains of the Lusk Committee, which published three years ago a seven volume report on Red activities throughout the country. The action of the Federation is a complete reversal of attitude, since it has been one of the chief opponents to the release of political prisoners, insisting that they should be treated as ordinary criminals.