New-York tribune., 1908-01-12
RED FLAG THEIR HOPE
lWRS. STOKES TO RENTERS.
Tells Socialists She LOres 1t Better
than Stars and Stripes.

Nearly five hundred socialists packed every
available inch of Clinton Hall. No 151 Clinton
street yesterday afternoon to listen to social
tetic speeches in behalf of the striking tenants
and 10 hear of socialist triumphs won or TO De
won. Twice the number that gained aulhlttailce
clamored at the doors. only to be turned away
with some difficulty by the police. who finally
hit upen the ruse Of posting no meeting TINS
afrernoon~ sign on the doors OF the hall
tmong The speakers whose fiery oTatory
served to carry the crowd To a high pitch OF
enthusiasm was Mrs, J. G. Phelps Stokes She
began her address by saying that conditions in
America a. far the laboring classes were
concerned were fully as bad as those in Russia
to-day.
I love the Stars and Stripes. she exclaimed:
- love The American flag. but as much as l
l.ive it love the red flag better Indeed. L
,,,rld not love the Stars and Stripes much as
] do did 7 not love the grand red flag better
These expressions met with the enthusiastic
..-,t~o7al Of the audience. Ia fact. every refer
.ace 10 the red flag. and there were many. was
greeted with wild enthusiasm and sometimes
with continued cheers
II was A socialistfc meeting Of the oldtime
-redlot- type. There was much gesticulation
on The part Of the orators and fervid condemna-
ION If property holders and those who were the
,,..seassors Of wealth. There was talk Of the
GREAT future Of the socialstic party and there
Mas even veiled condemnation Of Charles f,
Hughes as Governor. while both the Democratic
and Republican parties were scathingly criti-
gieed.
Even that seIf-titled champion Of The working
people. William Randolph Hearst, came in for
his share of condemnation. Above and through
ali There was the continual puff. puff Of cigars,
cigarettes and pipes until the hall just before
,be meeting was over resembed the immediate
neighborhood Of a firing line in the old days
when smokeless powder was nor known
Mrs stokes was the second speaker She
was introduced in presumably highly compli-
lnentary manner by small but enthusiastic
man. whose Yiddish vocabulary was large but
whose knowledge Of English did not appear 10
he his strong point Mrs. stokes spoke with
great earnestness and said in part. after her
reference TO the American and red flags
Il do not believe that any East Slider Will
Weld 10 the demands of the landlords If there
be one 50 base ] am sure he viii meet with
Hour scorn and obIoquy. What would the heroes
and martyrs who languishing in Russian
and siberian prisons think of one of You if they
heard that for the sake Of little comfort Won
forsaoB your principles and rather than be eject
90 and suffer little hardship yielded To the de
nsands Of the landlords
No working man can pay the rent that is
demanded to-day and still pay his bills for the
repealed and new ones enacted Can we look
20 the Democratic or Republican party for help?
We have ia times gone by. and We have learned
~ bitter experience the futility Of IL We must
elect our own lawmakers, socialists like our
selves. Per -onalIy I had rather freeze than
yieId tc the demands Of the landlords and prop
,rty owners. The lich do nothing. They live
off the toll of your hands.
Let Us all remember the principles, the plat
form. of the socialists. The land and machinery
of production shall be owned 10y the people in
common These are the things We stand for and
believe in If we had Governor that was a
Governor We would have real child labor laws
and not fake ones with plenty of loopholes in
them such as we at present have You re-
member that the Republican party some time
ago asked US TO give II our votes and promised
as the working classes q fun dinner pail We
voted for the Republican ticket Do not let US
he 20 foolish as TO do again. We must elect
our own ticket
Jacob Pankin. counsel for the rent strikers
made a long and gcsticulaung address in Yid-
dish He said that the reHt strikers had
gained s12 900" year in rents: that the strike
was not dead. but would go on VIGOROUSLY
Nr Pankin said he appealed TO the strikers
not to use violence Cat which policeman
smiled sardoncallyD. Although" he shouted
-I love and revere the red flag as much as any
q vou let make this fight a peaceful one"
Joseph r. Darling American said that he
believed in freedom of speech, and straightway
proved the truth of his statement by saying
that he thought the only real Americans We're
those who had immigrated to this country with
in the last twenty years. Other speakers hurled
forth fiery oratory until the shades of evening
had fallen and it time 10 home and get
supper
The Greater New York Taxpayers Association
held a meeting last night at No. 2J6 East %
street About two hundred Taxpayers We're
al the meeting and numerous speeches were
made Harold N. Phillips presided He e1-
tlained that the object of the association was To
eor1o a permanent body Of Landlords" who
faulG present a solid front against the many
evils s.llich lac said confronted them Asked
VIA; these evils were, u. enumerated thera as
Insurance companies and politicians" He said
the association considered the renters" as its
frienCs aItboush il looked on them as a be-
righfed class.
The meeting was enlivened by the attempt Of
SINE members of the committee 10 eject several
reporters, me ground that they were social
is's. Other meetings of the association viii be
AeIc from time time