Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-07-18
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DEMOCRATS IN
ANGRY MOOD
ARRESTS OF MEN AND WOMEN
AROUSE MANY
SAY ATTEMPT AT SUPPRESSION
HURTS PARTY
Anthony Schwamm Declares State
Platform Is Committed to Free
Speech and Condemns All
Discrimination

AS soon as Mayor A. G. Harper re-
turns to Los Angeles-or sooner If he
can be reached by wire-Democrats will
endeavor to change the administra-
TONS course in reference to the arrests
of Socialists for speaking on the streets
without permits.
All through Southern California-in
| fact all over the United States-the
course of the Los Angeles police has
| been widely discussed in the news
papers, and it is becoming party issue.
Scores of letters are being received
daily in Los Angeles condemning Mayor
| Harper's course, many of these letters
coming from Democrats and reaching
Democratic headquarters.
Will Cost Votes
1t is as a result of these, and the
statement that hundreds of votes, If not
more, will be lost to the Democratic
party that the county and city COM
mittees will be asked to go on record as
disappearing these arrests, while the
mayor will be asked to induce the city
council to amend the ordinance under
which they are being made.
Chief Kern claims he is acting under
| the boards orders; the board claims TO
be doing the mayors wishes; the
mayors friends say he is merely en-
| forcing a law passed by the city
| council.
|
county committee, who has hitherto
been silent, preferring to wait until
| Mayor Harper returns to the city, to-
day consented to discuss the situation
as an individual Democrat. He said:
schwamm for Free Speech
"As a fire commissioner, and there
fore in the mayors official family, l
can say nothing concerning these ar
rests. 1 do not know on what theory
the police are acting.
But as a citizen and Democrat l
say it is wrong, it is bad politics, it is
| Unjust and will cost the party votes.
1.-THE state platform commits the
party to free. speech. 1t is UP to the
mayor to induce the council to repeal
any legislation that makes it possible
for the police to curb free speech on the
streets, to permit some persons to hold
these open-air gatherings and to ex-
clude others from the privilege. 1t Is
un-American.
II don't know who is advising the
mayor but it is certainly bad advice.
If can change his mind shall do so.
II repeat, ] am talking as a plain
Democrat, not as fire commissioner
and have no desire to criticise the
mayor or police board, as 1 do MOI
know on what they are acting. But tC
an outsider 1t looks like serlou:
blunderS'
Ventura Leader Aroused
w. e. Shepherd Of Ventura yesterda:
sent to Los Angeles Democratic head
quarters a letter urging that somethins
be done to stay the arresting campaign
of the police against Socialists IN Los
Angeles. He inclosed clipping IRON
the Los Angeles Herald quoting the
printed letter from John Field saying
that such course was contrary to the
| Democratic platform.
Here is the Ventura communication:
IT introduce myself as a fellow
Democrat-one deeply interested in the
success of the party.
1T have read with concern the &C
counts in the Los Angeles Herald of
the arrests of women and men for
speaking on the streets.
81 have heard many persons talk
about the matter. I know the people
| in the country are commenting I'M
favorably on the Democratic admins
| tration because of these arrests.
know it is injuring Democracy in the
| country.
II wrote several days ago to Mayor
Harper on the subject.
Should Repudiate II
81. of course, am not familiar with
the local situation, as you are. 1 think,
however, unless the party, through its
central committee, in some manner
| gives information to the voters that
these wholesale arrests are not coun-
tenanced or Endorsed by the Democratic
party we may lose many votes TINS
fall.
II do not care to express to you my
personal views with regard to these
interferences with the right of free
expression and free assemblage. l
have strong convictions in the matter.
l simply want to address you as
Democrat, and to urge you tnat lne
council of the party take immediate
action and call for the repeal of ord1-
nances which, conflict with the consti-
tutional rights of citizens to assemble
and freely express their views.
wv. e. SHEPHERD"
Five VIII Bolt
one business man, ting head of min
ing corporation, writes:
Il have been a lifelong Democrat OF
the Jeffersonian type. There is, how
ever, one thing that will go long
way toward alternating votes from the
Democratic party in Los Angeles this
fall. am worried about the efforts of
the local Democratic administration In
it's endeaVor to suppress free speech,
but our Democratic mayor is opposed
to 1t. L have agreed with four reia-
tives to vote the Socialist ticket this
fall If those respectable women are not
|
stored to their children, and if full and
free exercise of constitutional rights
is not allowed all people.
"There are many other Democrats who
feel like 1 do about it. Democracy Is
hourly losing votes. Can't you have
the matter taken up with the Demo-
cratic leaders,"
/ Mccarthy outspoken
The views of ]. Harvey Mccarthy
are also pronounced on the subject OF
free speech. He said yesterday:
II strongly oppose this campaign OF
trying to muzzle men and women VINO
want to express their views. They
have right to under the constitution
To try to stop it merely makes votes
for the other party.
personally, would like to see
prompt action taken to express the
disapproval of the party to the action
of Mayor Harper's police board. 1t Is
the Democratic platform