New-York tribune., 1908-03-30
THE UNION SQUARE BOMB.

OF the questions suggested by the bomb
throwing and the other incidents in Union
Square on Saturday probably the larger one is
what should be the policy of the authorities
toward the holding of such gatherings or pa
rades in the public parks or streets. The same
question arose in Chicago and Philadelphia,
where, as here the socialists have sought to
use the unemployed as an ocular demonstra-
ton that economic society is out Of joint, and
in both places the city authorities refused to
permit the demonstration and clash resulted
1t is argued on the one hand, that TO allow such
q gathering is 10 run the risk of turbulent
outbreak which may get beyond the control OF
the police, and that il is better to prevent such
danger in its inception. On the other. 1t is said
that this repressive policy only stimulates the
spirit of riot that these people only gather to-
getber to protest against oppression and If
they are not interfered with their protests lose
half their point, in their own minds, and
having blown off steam,'' they become less
harmful. Certain it is that in London and
Paris the authorities permit such demOnStra-
tions. and with no worse results than occur
from the opposite policy in this city, though
the radical elements more numerous and
powerful abroad than here. AT any rate, which
ever policy is better. there can be no defence
Of the Park Commissioners first granting and
then canceIling the permit for the socialist con-
terence. Sucn NdClll4Ion cdH OILY ClSdtc biO
impression of timidity in the minds of those
who like TO fill the air with talk of revolution
When the permit was once granted 1t ought not
to have been revoked.
In this particular instance, however. 1t is
apparent that the refusal of the authorities to
permit the conference had nothing 10 do with
the bomb throwing. The or men who
made the bomb planned assassination in adj
vance. The bomb was ready beforehand to be
thrown because he or they thought the meeting
or the attempt at meeting in Union Square
would afford a spectacular opportunity TO call
attention once more TO anarchy's well known
views about organized society. Surely to the
bomb thrower's mind this refusal Of the au-
thorities to allow public meeting In Union
Square and the dispersal of the crowds thence
by the police were of little account among all
the accumulated wrongs of government
Whether the promoters of the meeting were
permitted or not to voice their protest against
society, he was determined to enter really
effective one with his dynamite.
Like all the crimes Of the anarchists this
one was without rhyme or reason. The bomb
was TO be thrown, no matter what the police
did. And it is this utter lack OF reason which
makes anarchy so hard to deal with. 1t is
Tever possible TO anticipate Its outbreaks, be
cause 1t never has anything to gain by It's
crimes 1t is possible TO guard against crime
that is logical or that Is moved by reasonable
sclI-interest, but there is no logic in bomb
throwing Every once in so often among the
many men who brood too much social dis
orders or talk too much over the coming revo-
luton a a group of men suddenly de-
termine to commit some striking crime as a
protest against society. They kill ruler
who IS different from other rulers and who
is absolutely sure to be succeeded by another
like himself. They murder priest at the altar
not because he has ever done anything TO Of
fend them. They attack a chief of police for
nothing that any one find out They *
pIode a bomb amidst number of innocent and
unoffending men. They assert their opposition
to organized society, but none Of these deeds
affects or is even remotely likely to affect the
organization of society. They seem TO be
moved by q sort of vanity for reminding So
ciety with sensational publicity of its dangers
and for showing and then that their
threats of revolution are not all empty air. On
the problem of anticipating and guarding
against the moments when the incessant talk
of revolution" INDUCED in not by the anar
chistS alone will lead hotheads vain fools to
the use Of dynamite unfortunately this Union
Square incident sheds no light