ESCAPED!
RETROSPECT 

INTRODUCTION 

I. 

Ralph Chaplin is serving a twenty year sentence in the Federal
Penitentiary, not as a punishment for any act of violence against
person or property, but solely for the expression of his opinions. 

Chaplin, together with a number of fellow prisoners who were sentenced
at the same time, was accused of taking part in a conspiracy with
intent to obstruct the prosecution of the war.  To be sure the
Government did not produce a single witness to show that the war had
been obstructed by their activities; but it was argued that the
agitation which they had carried on by means of speeches, articles,
pamphlets, meetings and organizing campaigns, would quite naturally
hamper the country in its war work.  On the face of their indictments
these men were accused of interfering with the conduct of the war; in