100 years ago in Spokane: Judge suggests sending anarchists and radicals to island

Judge W.A. Huneke of Spokane believed that all “malicious and evil-disposed persons should be deported” – preferably to some island or group of islands.

There, he wrote, they could be free to “practice upon themselves and one another their nefarious plans.”

Huneke was referring, apparently, to anarchists and radicals. He said that anybody who “maliciously and falsely, or secretly, attacks the government should be driven from the confines of our country summarily – he should have no asylum here.”

The judge suggested the nations of the world should unite in acquiring some islands for that purpose.

He wrote up these and other suggestions for a proposed “Articles of Patriotism” for the upcoming patriotic Round Table Conference to be held in Spokane.

From the draft beat: The city’s draft boards identified 45 “alleged willful draft delinquents.” A total of 217 willful draft delinquents were found in all of Eatern Washington.

Most of these men had failed to return their draft questionnaires and failed to keep in touch with the boards.

The war in Europe was over, but these men were still in trouble.

“I have orders from the Attorney General to proceed with prosecutions just as though the war were still in progress,” said an assistant federal district attorney.