Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-26
WOMAN SPEAKERS
ARRESTED BY POLICE
TAKEN TO STATION IN PATROL
WAGON
CloudesIey Johns and Wife Give Bail
and Declare They VIII Not
Abandon Contest for
Free Speech

Cloudesley Johns, secretary of the
Los Angeles local of the Socialist
party, Mrs. Dorothy Johns and Mrs. II.
A. Collins, the latter representing the
Liberal club of Los Angeles, were ar
rested last night on charges of speak
ing in public without permits signed
by Mayor Harper.
About 1900 persons were present
when the arrests were made.
Johns spoke twenty-five minutes,
four patrolmen being apparently in
terested listeners, before he was ar
rested. His remarks were for time
directed toward the patrolmen. He
said he held them blameless for their
part In the arrests which had taken
place, realizing that they must obey
the command of their masters, or lose
their jobs.
Have you a permit to speak here
tonight?" finally asked a patrolman.
II have a permit in tie constitution
of the United States and of the state
of California,-you won't accept that?
mo, not unless it is signed by the
mayor"
Il stand on my constitutional rights,
said Johns.
Constitutions don't mean anything
to me unless Mayor Harper signs EN-
You are under arrest"
The crowd laughed good naturedly
at this and the man was taken across
the street to a patrol box.
Woman Arrested
Mrs. Johns Immediately mounted the
soap box vacated by her husband and
spoke fifteen minutes before she was
interrupted. Her remarks were chiefly
about the condition of poems in Mexico
When asked for her permit, she re-
Piled
II have the same as others, the con-
stitutional permit guaranteed to all.
ITS no good IL the mayors names
not on it," said the patrolman. Al
this moment several women in the
crowd pressed forward and filled Mrs
Johns arms with flowers. She was
led across the street where the other
officers had her husband In custody
awaiting the arrival of the patrol
wagon.
Mrs. II. A. Collins of the Liberal club
then spoke. She said it was her first
| speech from a soap box. She invited
| questions and they came from the
| crowd In punches. For thirty minutes
she kept the hearers laughing and
cheering until officers went through
| the usual formality of demanding per-
init, and We're given the printed slips
containing the extract from the con-
stitution of the United States and from
the state of California regarding free
speech.
Begs Woman Be Spared
| When the policemen started with
| her toward the patrol box man who
declined to give his name begged that
the woman be spared the humility OF
that ride. saying that his automobile
awaited and he would gladly take the
officers and the woman to the station
81 don't want to see that little wom-
an hauled down there like a common
criminal. I am a Republican and have
lived in Los Ang eles twenty-five years
I am not in sympathy with the So
cialist propaganda, but 1 am an Ameri.
can citizen and I want to see the con-
stitution of my country held sacred and
inviolate."
I'VE have been asked by the police
to discontinue the street speaking
They have told us we have fifteen ar
rested and that is enough for a test
case" said Cloudesley Johns last night
after he had given bail at police head
quarters.
I'VE have little interest in the test
| case as such. What we want is tc
speak on the streets. We are going tc
do 1t as long as there is a member OF
| tne organization out OF jail. NO mat
ter how these test cases go in the
police court we shall go on speaking
| There are 700 members of the organi-
zation in this county and at least 300
of them are able and willing to speak
no matter what the mayor of Los An.
geles may say.
Questions Justice of Case
1.-THE injustice of Mayor Harper's
statement that it is too early to open
a campaign must be ma nifest to every
one. What right has a member of one
political party to dictate to members
or the organized body OF another poll.
tical organization when 1t shall or shall
not open it's campaign?
"Our campaign begins the night OF
an election and it never finishes unit
the voter is inside the voting booth the
next election beyond the sound of oul