New-York tribune., 1911-12-25
CONDEMNS LAWlESSNESS
Or. Stephen NJ. Wise Discusses
the Mcnamara Crimes.
SEES DANGER IN INJUSTICE
Refers to Corruption of Officials
as Most Blighting Lawless-
ness in American History

The Mcnamara crimes and the relations
Of capitai and labor were discussed yester-
dav morning at Carnegie Hall 10y Dr. ste
oben NJ. Wise in his address before the
Free Synagogue.
''To explain the Mcnamara crimes is not
IN excuse them" he said. Conduct is oft
times morally iuexcusable, and yet wholly
cxn,icable 10 us as reasoning beings we
ought TO try TO understand the McNa-
naras. to study their motives and to search
the,r lives. What is needed to-day is nei-
thor denunciaton nor extenuauon' but
clear and reasoned explanation Ihelt con
fesslou Of guilt makes wild remuneration
indecent and mild eXtenuauon almost iooi-
ish." He continued;
To name the McNamaras crimlnalS, rs Is sS ~
explain nothing. II they have ppeIdIcu a.
individuals in their CriminalitN they 40 Hol
concern us any more thdn any one % t :,
multitude Of lawbreakers ana IjaIsc lei0jns, tbcy
IL they have represented. as pehtNe ~
have the organized sentiment OF lue uu.- t
Vidual organization which tney lSu' ~ ~
the question must be answered. Mhat coll-
ditions nave made these criminal courses
eeern inevitable to a group OF American
citizens? -,...s 49, ;s g., M sense an.
snorabIc for tho wrongs inflicted by the
N,Namaras and while in tho future an!
TcpresentatIves of trace unlonlsm VINO TesUI
10 violence will be punished IN the same
sy-jft and effective way, the queSllon 'hdl
ne face is. Are we not in great danger oi
giving rise 10 "A multitude Of men VINO WI
resort 10 the methods of the McNaindrdS M
order 10 secure for themselves t@nat @ SIioyc
of social justice 10 which they DelioNSt "
tbenoSelves entitled, and the attainment ol
which the present order, in their Judsmeh'
denies them the right 10 secure!
.1f VIC would understand the deeds of the
NcNamaras." said Dr. Wise, we must re-
member that lawlessness Is not limited 10
organized industry, but is characteristic OF
much Of American life to-day. As the
Greeks held that lawlessness was their
worst enemy, so Is lawlessness the most I'M
perilling foe of America to-day whether II
take the ma for form Of the Mcnamara out
RACES or the minor form Of riotous conduct
at a peace meeting, or the habitual form OF
lvnchings in the North and South, the East
or the West of these United States.
He added:
Every man vigorously objects 10 every
manner Of laWlcssness save MS own
Among the most violent and el9queht e- uC
nunciations Of the McNamaras nave DeSL
fhose uttered By the lips Of leaders O
Southern lynching parties. ..
Lawlessness must hf fought ana oppose
At all times IN all places and under an clr
e,uustsnces. IaWlesSneSs within ana WIN
out trade unio1ism must bc crusHcu our
nv lawful means. u Sc no more needlul U
roralize the organized industry OF Amerlc'
in this regard than any other group o
groups of men in the nation.
Touching the matter OF laWlessneSS le
us not presume TO adopt ''holler thal
thou" attitude toward the ranks OF organ
1Zed labor. . o., 49,,
The Mcnamara iawleSSness cannot be un
5erstcod without looking to the BACKGROUND
or widespread pervasive American laWlcSs
ness out Of which IL has stepped INTO IN
foreground. II behooves us above all thlne
10 remember that laWleSsneSs is not Away
NociferOuS violent, explosive
Not q small part Of the most deadly law
1cssness Of which men are capable to-oa.
is the silent, inconspicuous, noiseless law
Iessness OF those who have not resorted L
violence and dynamite because they pursu
their own guilty and relentless way thToug
the corrupting Of those agencies OF democ
racy which make needless the coarser an
violent forms Of lawlessness.
The most blighting lawlessness in Ameri
can history has incarnated Itself in the con
duct Of such captains Of industry and SO
called railroading pioneers as have bough
and sold legislatures. purchased judges an
their decisions, dealt with seats in Congress
and the SeDa.e as marketable commodltie
and corrupted cities and states at thei
fOuOtaiuhcads of law and Justice.