Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-11-02
TIL 3 R E D FL A G
AND THE STARS AND STRIPES
AT COOPER UNION.

AT COOPER UNION.
Three Thousand Socialists In Mass
Meeting ng-AuthOrized Speakers
Define the Position of the Party
Oh the Flag Question-The Work
Of the Chicago Convention Ably
Reviewed and Enthusiastically
ApprOved-Speeches by Shevitch,
Schubert yogt and Reimer.
In answer to call issued by the New
York Sections for a mass-meeting, the
Socialists of this city turned out in
force at the Cooper Union last Monday
night. AT 5 p m. all the seats were
occupied and hundreds of belated per-
sons had to stand in the aisles and rear
of the great hall, while S, E. Shevitch
was delivering his speech. Over 5000
people were present, and while the re-
peated outbursts of enthusiasm recalled
the best days of 1886, the utterances
which were most applauded showed the
progress of ideas since that time. The
audience was divided about equally be-
tween the German and glish-speaking
elements.
There was in the hall slight sprink-
ling Of blue coats, from which emerged
the rubicund faces Of peaceful-looking
policemen, who were apparently quite
interes ted in the able presentation OF
socialism made by the speakers. They
listened with particular attention to the
explain alton that was given of the
meaning of the red flag, and when
reference was made to the scandalous
fortunes amassed by police and other
political magnates, they looked inteptly
to the floor.
After a short address by Comrade
August Delabar, secretary of the Ma
tional Bakers Union, who acted as
Chairman, s. E. Shevitch took the floor.
In opening his remarks he said, in SUBJ
stance, that the willful misrepresenta-
tions of the press concerning the flag in
cident at the Chicago meeting held un-
der the auspices of the Socialist Labor
Party, had made it advisable for the
party to state in very plain language,
and if possible, once for all, the posi-
ton taken by socialists in relation to
the "red flag" and the 'stars and
stripes" The stars and stripes repre-
sent the American Nation. The red flag
represents Humanity. No socialist in
suits the American flag, for this would
be an insult to the American people.
The kissing at Chicago before the open
ing of the meeting, if actually intended
for that flag, was certainly not the per-
formance of socialists. There are in
Chicago and eIst where numbers of peo-
pie, great haters of socialism, who daily
insult the American flag. Take, for
instance, the Chicago police. They in
suit the American flag without COM
junction. They insult it every day by
the use they make of the police power.
Bonfield's thugs have proved to be a
gang of robbers and murderers. But
there are other nsulters of the American
flag. The United States Senators and
Congressman, whose wealth can be
traced to no other source than the sell
ing of their votes to great corporations,
do they not insult the American flag
The unfaithful legislators, the corrupt
politicians, The "Silver-Dollar Smiths, "
do they not insult the American flag ?
The monopolists who buy the law, rob
the people and starve the honest worker,
do they not insult the American flag
These-not the poor industrious social
ists-are the persons who disgrace and
insult the American nation.
But it is objected sometimes" con-
tinued the speaker, "that the red flag is
dearer to the socialists than the stars
and stripes" Aye, this is true. The
American nation is only a part of man.
kind, and the symbol of one nation,
ever SO ennobled by the achievements of
that nation in its struggle for liberty,
cannot be so dear to us as the universal
symbol of humanity. The red flag, to
the color of which some ignorant per-
sons object under the impression that it
means bloodshed, is in fact the only en-
blem of universal peace and brother
hood Its color sumhnlizes the human