A series of labor strikes convulsed the United States in 1919, and, influenced by the earlier Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, the American public came to believe that these strikes were the beginning of a communist revolution. When the U.S. Post Office discovered nearly 40 bombs addressed to various prominent officials (one was delivered and it exploded), many Americans were further convinced of a pending communist plot. These perceived communist tactics, the wartime hysteria against all things German (and foreign), the intolerance of dissenting opinions, and fervent nationalism all combined for an easy shift into the Red Scare in the United States. Recently appointed Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer led a nationwide witch-hunt to find the “Reds” and prevent the perceived revolution. The main targets of this effort were radicals, recent immigrants, and some labor union leaders and members. Under Palmer’s direction, the Justice Department launched several raids to round up and interrogate suspicious radicals and aliens. In excerpted article I would like you to read, journalist Frederick Barkley describes a Red Scare raid in Detroit for the news magazine, The Nation (you can read it by clicking here; read pgs. 22-23).After reading the article, I would like you to think about and discuss the following: According to Barkley’s account, how were the alleged radicals treated? Does Barkley believe that a revolution was imminent? What does he fear may result from the raids? Why did the raids of the “Red Scare” cease? Your thoughts…
20 comments:
The radicles were treated really harshly. They were all arrested for a long period of time, and sccording to the letters written, had little food and were treated unfairly. Im suprised at the high amout of people that were arrested, because it was a very large amount!! This treatment show how seriously the Americans took comminism and the Red scare, but if i think about it i think i would be scared during that time too!
the alleged radicals were treated like crap. they could not talk to their family, friends, or relatives. sometimes they did not even know where they were.they slept on the floor or benches made of wood. they hardly got any food and or drinks. some had to starve for a 24 hour period, then they could rely on their family to bring them some food.
It's kind of crazy isn't it...? This is the U.S. right? The paper seems so unreal, the conditions you'd find in a jail like in Sudan or something. So, crowded and harsh, only one bathroom. I bet it's not even sanitary, having a line of people waiting that might just go on the stone floor. Only one water fountain, and the fact that if you wanted to move around you had to step on a few people to get where you wanted. No windows, in a cell, crowded with people, who knows what pests were crawling around? Any radical was jailed to citizens, aliens, college graduates, laborers, skilled mechanics and even boys. I know it was only for three to six days, but it seems like it was a small building. Not to tell the aftermath of all of this. The people must've been a little messed in the head when they got through all of that.
The treatment of the radicals was not right. I mean.. this is America, the land of the free. These people were not even allowed to voice their opinions. what happened to freedom of speech? They packed 800men in a narrow, windowless corridor with only one toilet, very little food unless there family brought it in, no communication, the list of harsh treatment goes on and on. An open letter written by the captives exposed the harsh treatment of these confinement cells. It was to the point where they begged to be deported
The way the radicals were treated here was very harsh. I like how we are never told the stories about cruel things that the united states government does. We just learn about how fair and equal the US governement is.
These 'radicals' were treated with brutality and inhumanely. The Justice Department arrested 800 suspected men and stuffed them into dark, small rooms. Within the first twenty hours of their stay, none were allowed to eat. After those twenty hours, they were able to eat any food provided by their family. I don't understand why they need to torture these people. Wouldn't the capture of these men from their homes leave a major setback in the family, especially the immigrants? Which would lead to the family not being able to provide enough food for these prisoners. And having to share ONE toilet with 800 men...that's unsightly and ridiculous. These raids caused a lot of anger among those accused and then freed, which could lead to revolting of an unfair government. It's horrible how they could just take 800 men and stuff them into cramped spaces because they're 'supposedly' a threat.
as everyone who posted before me already said, the "radicals" that were taken captive were treated like animals and shown no rights. it was so bad that the aliens actually ASKED for deportation. looking at it from both sides, it really does make sense for the americans to fear a communist rebellion, given the bombs and such, but whatever happened to "innocent until proven guilty" ? isn't the US proud of it's law system? the document even said that these people weren't allowed a lawyer.
This is inhumane what happened to the "radicles" they were treated like animals. Beaten, starved and deprived of human essencials. The raids were ILLEGAL the troops sent in to capture the 800 men and boys didnt have warrents for their arrest, they didnt even bother to get them until they were already moved once. the reason most were eventually released or deported is because of the lack of evidence in the first place. One man even wrote a letter begging to be deported back to his home country because the treatment was so bad.
This document kind of opens up your eyes even more to what the U.S. can do. I mean were is the right to freedom of speech? These people werent allowed attorneys are phone calls they were cut off from their families and jobs. Barkley tells us that the living corders were inhumane and the prisoners were treated none to friendly. Barkley might of been scared of what is happened because it could be anybody. It's like they just pulled names out of a hat and put those people in jail!
This is terrible. The radicals are treated like crap: they are straved, cold, unconfortable, unsantitary, no light, nothing to sleep on besides the cold stone floor! Americans were in serious fear of communism. The raid ceased because of the lack of evidence. They wanted to accuse people of being a part of a communist party, but 1/3 are deported or released.
The radicals were treated brutally after they were arrested. No food, no light, no seeing any relatives. Even teh ones who left were probably scared out of their minds, which was the point I suppose. I imgaine the later impact was probably anger, which may be why the red scare raids ceased.
They were treated worse than a prisoner was. When they were rallied up (imprisoned for 3-6 in a windowless room), They wouldnt get fed for over a 24 time, and even then they couldnt eat unless their family brought them food. They couldnt have contact with their relatives and attorneys(!!!! Thats insane, was the right to an attorny a right back then?) at all. All 800 gathered had to share a bathroom and had to stand in line to have water. They had to sleep on a concrete floor. The terrible thing is that they were also seized without warrants. All of this was the first step in a long process of being detained and treated inhumanely. He seemed to believe that it would be imminent. after something like this which is really illegal to do, there will be many problems with the civilians. This scare produces resentment and hostility of the people with the ones who are carrying the actions out. After the people finally stop following the people who started this and step back to say "ok, what are we doing?" The followers might end up turning and the whole thing backfires. (The Crucible shows the red scare but with witches instead, and the authorities who were doing the prosecuting finally realize that what they are doing is wrong and finally end it. Some like Rev Parris just do it to save themselves from people who are threatening him.) Raids would result once again in resentment of the people causing anarchy. Because of a charitable agency that aided the people, the red scare ceased but with the horrifying consequences that happened beforehand.
The radicals were being arrested because the people were scared of their communist thoughts, I guess 3-6 days of harsh treatment and living conditions rids the mind of this.. The raids were ended after the public found out about the conditions and then the supporters were then arrested.
Those accused were "imprisoned...in a dark, windowless, narrow corridor...; they slept on a bare, stone floor at night." They were treated terribly- one toilet and one water fountain, denied food, etc. (800 people) They must have been terribly scared, for being able to take and treat people in such dreadful ways! When the captives' letters made it out, their families must dramtically protested, which is a likly ending reason.
Mr. Prill,
i just realized that my name was in korean. Sorry!!
I think that the paranoia just escalated and people comprimised their morals and what they knew was right because they were scared. That account was shocking, especially in a nation that says that all men are innocent until proven guilty, and that believes you must have an arrest warrent to arrest someone. Also, the conditions the prisoners were kept in sound horrible, like in account you hear of in other countries
The alleged radicals were reated like animals. There where 800 of them being trapped within a windowless room with only one toilet and one drinking fountain. There was barely enough space, and there had to step over one another to move. these "radicals" were held here for three to six days. The captors held no mercy for the accused. " We begged to be deported when we thought we could not stand it any longer, but our demands were only laughed at." The cruelty of our own government is appalling and just reminds me how hypocritical and backhanded everthing really is.
Again we can honestly look at ourselves and asked if humans have really change at all throughout human history. This post really showed me what the song "Baby's a Red" by, House of Heroes, means.
The reason why all the radicals were being arrested so brutally was because everyone was afraid of Communism. They didn't want the word to spread or anything. It kinda makes sense when you think about it, but just a little too brutal.
I have never heard about this! the radicals were trated so severely and harsh. they were starve,b and it seems like there was a large amount of people in the description. This demonstrates how the country wanted to view communism, but carmming 800 people in a small room with no food, nowhere to sleep, and 1 tiny bathroom is not moral anyway. Its kind of ironic becaue the US is supppose to be this nation against communism and how the democracy is right, but just look at what they are doing to their own people...it's disturbing
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