The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1912-04-09
(Springfield Republican,


radical Affiliations by introducing EN-
ma Goldman at a meeting at which
she was to be the chief speaker.
Ten months ago such Socialist agi-
tators as Charles Edward Russell and
Lincoln Steffens were complaining bit
and boards of trustees were dead set
in opposition to Socialistic bodies
within the campus communities and
were strangling them by all possible
means.
Yesterday question to Harry w.
chapters and secretary of the Inter-
collegiate Socialist Society, as to
whether or not any university now
discriminates against Socialists, was
answered in the negative. Mr.. Laid
Ter said that on the contrary all uni
versities now throw open their large
assembly rooms for addresses by the
visiting lecturers, give quarters in the
college buildings to the Socialist chap
tiers. and permit the use of the college
publications in the dissemination of
propagandist literature If it is written
by bona fde students.
Is socialism getting stronger hold
upon the colleges? Mr.. Ladder In an
swer to the question brought out three
separate college publications devoted
entirely to the work of the Socialist
locals publishing them. He named
over Socialist writers on the STATS OF
practically all the larger college peri
odicaIs, and pointed with pride to the
fact that in a straw vote taken at the
University Of Michigan Mr.. Debs ran
ahead of Mr.. Taft as a favorite Pres
idential choice.
The appearance OF separate Socialist
publications in such universities as
Harvard and Yale. Mr.. Ladder said.
merely meant that the locals there
had found so much to talk about and
write about that the, ordinary publica-
.tions, had proved Inadequate to their
needs sSt s -
IN the women's colleges the. Social
lists. have encountered their only subs
stantial obstacles. AT Bryn Mawr,
wellesley. Vassar, and Radcliffe the
trustees or administrative committees
locals out. In the case Of yassar 1rsez
nalholland organized a. local which
did not survive her college days. Vio-,
let Pike, who preceded her, attempted
to organize one, but failed, and then
became a member Of a Socialist local
in Poughkeepsie.
In Vassar the Socialists claim three
members of the faculty, headed by
Prof. Mills, who maintain in their
homes substantial Socialist libraries.
At Bryn Mawr they claim group
of students are ready to organize as
soon as faculty objections can be over
come, while at their behest a. course
ago. The four Wellesley professors
who were criticised for their activi-
ties at Lawrence are said to have
made systematic visits. to women's
colleges throughout the Eastern States
in behalf of Socialist organizations.
their work having been SO successful
that they expect every woman's coll
Tn Trou ifc
And the Socialists have not been
content with gaining their foothold In
the colleges. Members of the alumni
chapters which now exist In Boston,
this city, Springfield. Washington, and
New York, have been set to work
writing school books and reading les
sons for the primary grades
Miss Violet Pike, who has taken the
lead In this work. has now in course
Of preparation a. complete reading
course for children. She Is planning
to offer 1t to the superintendent OF
schools at Schenectady and in all
cities where Socialist officials have
been elected or where there is q large
foreign population.
In gaining their foOthOld In the COL
leges the Socialists found that they
had tn make q claim of abandoning
one phase Of their work. This was
the phase having to do with propa-
gandist efforts. The college chapters
in all their propagandist attempts act
'unofficially" Officially they are
chapters .'for the study of Socialism"
organized purely SO that their men,
bers may 'acQuaint themselves with
the meaning of the Socialist move
ment.'
Whatever objections college presi-
dents may have had to the existence
in the colleges of active political pro-
they could not make these
objections apply to organizations
formed purely for the appropriate col
egiate enterprise of fostering schol-
arly research.
In Harvard the Socialist chapter"
has the frmest hold. 1t contributed
10 the New York Alumni Chapter Ell
lis O. Jones of Life; Rene E Hoguet,
whose father was a large giyer to the
charities of the Catholic Church, now
leading in the fight against Socialism.
and Walter Lippman, secretary to
Mayor Lunn of Schenectady, who is
one of the most active organizers of |
new groups.
In the undergraduate world the Har-
yard activities are in charge of Pres |
dent Eliot's grandson, who has in his
chapter SIS active Socialists. S. A.
Eliot, ST., father of the Socialist youth,
Closely associated with |
young Eliot is w. T. Fisher, Jr., of
the class Of 1913. He is son of the
Secretary of the Interior, and his first
public appearance as a Harvard So |
cialist was as denOuncer Of the Bal |
inger policies in Alaska. Edmund 1. |
Dana, a grandson of Henry w. Long
fellow, was an active member of the |
local until he graduated in |
.909, and now that he has a position |
IN the faculty as an instructor he is
one of the locals constant advisers. |
The Harvard Socialists use the |
'ooms of Hiram K. Morderwen, editor |
If The Illustrated Monthly, as a meet |
ng place for daily discussions. T.
rorderwell has to study it is he ane |
OF the Socialists who moves; h
roes to the library surrendering his |
ooms to his friends.
Young Eliot brought some notice tc |
is associates a few months ago whe
succeeded in having his distir
suished grandfather appear before tn,