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Last fortnight Albizu Campos walked into the office of the Federal District Attorney, said that he heard he was to be arrested, offered to surrender. His offer was declined. Next day the U. S. struck. Senor Albizu Campos was at court preparing to defend the sole survivor of last autumn's bombing expedition to the University, when he was asked to go over and be arrested. Six of his followers, including his personal secretary, the party secretary and two poets, were also arrested. While the Puerto Rican National Guard was held under arms in its armories, ready for any emergency, Nationalist headquarters throughout the island were raided. The police found one loaded Springfield, one bomb, 50 wooden guns, and a batch of "Army of Liberation" enlistment cards. Charged with sedition and conspiracy to overthrow the Federal Government, Albizu Campos was indignant because the U. S. would not release him and his friends on $1 bail. Instead bail was given at $10,000 each and Albizu Campos went back to court. Since there is no such crime as sedition under Puerto Rican law, many peaceable advocates of independence were enraged at this imperialistic intrusion of U. S. law on their island. Liberals denounced it as a brutal attack on a man who is not a "vulgar criminal."
Last week the Federation of High-School Students met, voted:
1) A one-day high-school strike when Nationalist Albizu Campos & friends are arraigned this week in Federal court.
2) A permanent high-school strike if they are convicted.
3) A demand that the U. S. get out of Puerto Rico or fight.
Next day Secretary Ickes, alarmed, issued his manifesto. To him Pedro Albizu Campos was "a dangerous person."