Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-06
CHEERS FOR
FREE SPEECH
SOCIALIST MEETING ENTHUslAs-
TIC AND MANY ATTEND
MEMBERS SIGN PETITION FOR a
NEW ORDINANCE
Simpson Auditorium Scene of Much
Demonstration During Addresses
by.Advooates of Liberty In
Street Speaking

Enthusiasm reached it's height at the
meeting at Simpson auditorium in
favor of free speech last night, when
Attorney Job Hartman shouted to the
large assembly:
1T was slip of the tongue, when
one of the former speakers said to-
night that our forefathers fought for
their liberty under the Stars and
stripes. The stars and Stripes were
not thought of then. Our forefathers
fought under the red flag!"
Cheers and waving hands, women
rising to their feet in the big audi
torium-which was filled except for the
topmost gallery-greeted these words.
The meeting was the scene of active
efforts on. the part of representatives
of the organization to pass and have
signed petitions asking the city coun-
Gil to pass an ordinance in favor of
free speech.
The committee in charge, it was an
nounced, would meet Friday night at
the Socialists headquarters in Mer-
camille place and arrange to district
the city and carry these petitions
around for names.
A collection was taken for the cause,
AiSttAhS PAlV.AVs
Speakers Are Numerous
Mrs. Leona X. Shaw presided over
the meeting, while the speakers were
A. Williams of San Pedro, Frank 1.
Wheat, one of the local officers of the
Socialist party; the Rev. George w.
Woodby of Los Angeles. the .colored
minister recently arrested while ex-
pounding the Socialist doctrines Clar-
lob In orr.i-
man.
Mrs. Shaw in her opening address
said the laws and principles of free
dom for which "Old Glory"-draped on
the platform behind her--stood had
been cruelty violated in these later
days. She added:
"And the first laundry mark we will
do to cleanse those stripes will be in
the Los Angeles city hall"
A. Williams of San Pedro was the
first speaker introduced, and said:
II am never so happy as when en-
gagged in the battle against tyranny.
In that long and severe seven years
struggle our fathers thought they were
bequeathing to us liberty; but their
posterity is forced again to battle for
freedom. The constitution of the United
States gives us the right of the free
dom of speech and of peaceful assem-
lection to any law denying that right.
Must we get our right to assemble from
the Southern Pacific?
Fights for Rights Abused
"a Los Angeles paper in last Sun
days edition, in flaming words, cast
opprobrium on those fighting for their
rights
When the applause had died away
Frank I. Wheat was introduced, and
he explained that he had a special mis-
sion to perform, which he afterward
said was the taking up of a collection.
the speaker continued, "and it goes on
irresistibly
mo man can bring on such a move
ment as this, and no man can head
IL off.
"This element of class authority in
society begins to forge laws that will
check you. Hence the ordinance against
free speech which we are fighting
against now.
"When we look back six years ago at
the thought then prevailing and see
the change that has come about we
realize the revolution that has taken
| place. when even in the police force are
representatives of your own thought
and movement.
And you are just as sure going to
rule the world with the thoughts that
are in you as the sun is going to rise. "
Rev. George w. Woodby, the colored
pastor out on bail, was next intro
duced by the chairman as one who
would be known in the future os one of
the patriots of free speech in Los An
geles.
Addrass bv Rev Woodbv