Trial by suspicion: an analytical study of civil liberties and loyalties, 1917-1929

In this paper, I have attempted to show something of the background and effects of the reactionary movement--even considerable about the movement itself—which swept the nation during and following World War I, and once again is a serious threat—NOW. The story is not a pleasant one; it cannot be discussed without some degree of bias. Material available on this period is of such quantity as to be a distinct handicap, the task being more of sorting and editing than of investigating. Unfortunately, for an accurate, scientific study, the material presents a great preponderance of evidence on only one side of the issue. So difficult has it been for me to find articles, statements, evaluations which uphold or defend government and court actions—some unconstitutional or illegal, some merely injudicious or unthinking--that I am almost finally convinced the preponderance of evidence is justified, in spite of an earlier unwillingness to believe it possibly could be true. If no other lesson has been learned from those fateful twelve years, it should be apparent a far better job of education for citizenship is necessary than previously has been accomplished in the United States. A thinking people, an enlightened people, an informed (not indoctrinated) people, will not so easily fall before a campaign of propaganda and lies. One thing is certain, we can only protect ourselves by protecting others. A threat to the civil liberties of one individual, no matter how obscure the person or how insignificant the danger, is a threat to the civil liberties of every man, woman and child in our nation.