New-York tribune., 1908-04-06
SOCIALISTS HISS WOM1N
Defender of Herman Robinson Dis
pleases Dir. Ir1ine's Flock.

If one had not known the parish house OF the
Church of the Ascension. where the Rev, Alex
ander E. Irvine and TIE Rev. Percy Stickney Grant
conduct paror socialist meetings Sunday nights.
the splendid automobile that stood before it's door
last night would have given clew. Herman Rob
inson, OF the Central Federated Union, who pro-
vded excitement in large doses by attack on
socialism last Sunday. wasn't there but there
others. notably Mrs. NJ. NJ Avery who took up the
cudgels for him. and the dove of peace did little
lowering around the crowded last night
Herman Robinson's absence was made up for by
the presence OF some two hundred three hun lred
other persons. who cheered themselves hoarse
when Sol Fieldman. a socialist orator called Mrs
Avery a black hearted renegade a liar. his
was little too much for some of those present.
however, and after Mrs Avery. by dint OF excited
protests from half dozen men, had had a chance
10 answer Mr. Ffeldman's remarks much against
the VIII Of Mr. Irvine who presided. big English
man got the floor and told the audience that. what
ever merits socialism might have, it lacked to a
degree the virtue of chivalry.
The excitement began when a mild looking
cialist arose and asked why religious questions
had TO be dragged into discussions OF socialism.
He said he didn't how another man prayed.
or II he didn't pray at all. and that it not
right that political capital should be made out of
the fact that some prominent socialists were athe-
lists. He added that one asked Republican or
Democrat about his religious convictions. and
said more TO the same effect
Then Mrs. Avery took the hoOr Every one who
spoke before she did had five minutes Probably il
was intended to let her talk for five minutes too.
But she delivered cruel blow in the back She
used to be a socialist. but she wasn't any more
and she proceeded to bitterly the charges of
untrutn and wilful misquOtation that had been
aimed at Herman Robinson all evening She had
just started in to explain that the Republican
party stood for the principles on which this coun-
try was based, which, she said. included Christian
ity when, the end of three minutes she was
off
Then SOL" Feldman got away He wanted 70
know sarcasticaly, if the use of radium ought to
be abandoned because 1t had been discovered b,,
an atheist. This point was greeted with tumuItu-
Gus applause. and then Fieldman plunged into
MS attaek on Mrs Avery. He took enough time
10 pay compliment TO the perverted inteI-
sences the press is prostituting here and in Eu-
rope and talked for five minutes
Then Mrs. Avery tried to get the floor TO ranI,. ,
10 which. to any one with fair mind in view OF
the insults heaped upon her she seemed 10 he an
utled. But there was long argument with in
dignant Interruptions from half a dozen men he
fore MT Irvine consented TO let her speak While
she was making her plea for recognition she was
repeatedly Missed. and Mr.. Irvine. not to be ont
done by the audience bowed to her and said.
ANY one who knows Mrs. Avery knows that she
could say nothing on this subject IN I'VE minutes
Then. as another sprang up to protest he
decided to give her two minutes Mrs Avery sai4.
she would take what she could get and declared
that socialist literature prepared by atheists
ana not by those members who were Christians
The big Englshman who resented the insults to
Mrs Avery tried to get the floor then but some one
else looked more promising and recognized Mr.
lrvines judgment 70 the side wOuld-ba speakers
were likely TO take proved excellent all evening
and 1t was seldom that he deceived and let an
anti-socialist speaker have the floor
The who followed Mrs Averv's second
speech made one bad slip. He started in TO plead
guilty to Mrs Avery's Indictment as he pictured
1t, and successivey admitted. with growing pride
that he took little stock in religion the state and
marriage The last statement moved one man To
clap. That did not please the parlor socialists for
it really is not paror socialism. and the speakers
five minutes time-those periods were amazingly
elastic by watches in the hands of reporters-was
cut off in its fun bloom.
Every one was little tired then. and wanted
TO go home. Mr. Irvine was going TO deliver
parting word two. But the big Englshman
who was at the far end of the room, lowered up
and roared in a tone that awoke the sleeping
chauffeur waiting outside. Mr.. Chairman" He
got the floor. to the disapproval of most of the
audience. who spotted him at once for an opponent
OF socialism. Il wish l had that PLATFORM he
shouted. He invited to go up to It, and did
with some difficulty, thread his way through the
crowd.
Then he looked at his hearers in deep scorn and
said: Socialism may have all the virtues YOU
claim for it, but it has the great virtue of
chivalry. Otherwise woman could be So treated
by. you as one has been here tonight"
That brOught- a laugh, but lnAn
stopped 10 think, and there q little applause
Then the defender of Mrs. Avery. who was ,n-
known to every at the meeting and didn't want
to give his name, said he had few quotations
that could not be accused OF being false as Mr.
Rcbinson's had been and these, he said would
help him. TO prove his assertion that socialism was
essentially anti Christian. The time limit ,roze
up the quotations, but the speaker finished by
calling his audience deluded followers of foolish
and fantastic cult
Then Mr. Irvine, looking nervous called all
speeches, except by himself. off for the night and
about Herman RObinson's alleged misquotation of
Karl Marx and then sought 10 prove that atheism
in socialist leaders should keep Christian from
.the only means of alleviating suffering"
"A famous Republican he said, once said IF
there be a God l give Him two minutes to strike
dead Who said that?'
'Ingersolv' roared the audience.
Yes" said Mr.. Irvine. "and did any one drive
him out Of the Republican party for itF"
Then Mr.. Irvine, who was Protestant Epis-
copal but is a priest of the Greek Cath
Ole Church. told about his religious convictions AMI
also proclaimed himself socialist He made his
deepest impression the most applause bv
his quoting Ingersoll. That ended the formal
meeting and every went home. talking so
cialism. Mr.. Irvine had preached in the Church of
the Ascension earlier IT. the evening and said that
Christ was neither a socialist Christian.