The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-09-06
ENGLAND WOULD NOT TOLERATE OUR
 TEXTILE MILLS
!. Keir Hardie Says He Found
 IntOlerabIe Conditions in .tIs New England
Famous English Statesman Ad- dresses Big Meeting in
 Eagles Hall

J. Keir Hardie. British member of Parliament, noted public speaker and | man of much reputation, explained so an audience of 1000 people in Ea- gles' hall, last night, some of his
 deas along Socialistic lines; pointed put how in his estimation the Social
 st party platform if put into effect would remedy many Of the evils or the day which have grown out of cap Halistic control and gave an adoreSs which was very interesting
 The speaker was warmly greeted by he audience which was made up or many women as well as men. He was introduced by Samuel E. Boards ley of Shelton. Socialist candidate for Governor. The meeting itself was called to order by Alderman Frederick Cederholm, who introduced Patrick J. Cooney as chairman. MT. Cooney announced among other things that Eugene " Debs, the Presidential Monday night, Sept 30; and that Emil Seidel candidate for Vice President and former Mayor of Milwaukee. will speak here Saturday, Sept. 28, prob ably at Washington Park He also caHed attention to the fact that the Bridgeport Socialist, the party organ, tributed- Sunday, and continued until after election day The party pr1- naries will be held Tuesday night and the convention. will come on the fol-
 TheFe were some in the audience who remembered having heard the speaker. MT. Hardie, in this city IF city. He said that he didn't have the ability of orator, but simply had a plain story to tell and would
 t'TAe industrial problem of the pres ent day is one of distribution, said he. Despite the great wealth of the nation. despite the efforts of the un- ions. and the social reforrners, the working people are upon the verge 96 destifT5iIn 51 wbdh e ao1reg is gurround ed but he must endure hunger in the midst of it, not able to grasp what would satisfy his needs or his long
 MT. Hardie said upon his former visit to America, he was told social ism could not grow in the United it here He doubted it at that time. .+If there is no need of socialism here, and Theodore Roosevelt. and his plat form? Is he insulting the intelligence of the American workingmen? It is the last refuge of the politician to you against the so-called social re- formers
 the accomplishments of the labor par ty- in England. He spoke of the bill which requires the giving of food to- school children not properly fed at
 
 that when the parents of many of these <hildren recently suspended labor, the children received two good square meals a day at the public ex- pense- He called attention to the -workmen's compensation act, under which s.5O0.o00 pounds were paid out ciple. and said there are other meas ures. which have been adopted or agi- ing for the Right to Work bill. This he explained was a measure which would guarantee to every tradesman- employment at his trade or support public funds until the work is pro vided.
 men remain hirelings and he must find a master to sell himself to.
 MT. Hardie said he has been inVes- tigating the industrial conditions in Rhode Island and Eastern Connecti- cut and found conditions which would not be tolerated for an hour in Eng land in the textile works in those he had ever known in England. he said The working class unorganized. he Said. will be ground to powder, and dustriaI and later political organiza- tion the latter not to be a party or ganization but class organization whose basis should be the class, and old party ties should be ignored. You have orthodox republicans and orthodox democrats, and conglomerate te  come in your city tomorrow, they would all unite, every boss would line up against you for his class
 MT Hardie then gave some figures of the socialist vote in this country, and its increases, and predicted that in the coming election there would be 600 GOO socialist votes cast.
 He spoke of the principles of so- cisIfsrn. telling his auditors not to take his word for them, nor the word of the opponents but to find out for themselves and compare it with the present system under which the rich are growing richer and the poor grow ing poorer.
 He urged the organization of the xorkingmen. first in trade organ1za- tions. and then in socialism, the first to protect industrial conditions, and the latter to change the system. He spoke of the relation of socialism and religion. saying that the Christian re- ligion was promulgated in the inter ests of humanity in it's widest sense but had been diverted to the interests of the oppresSors- Socialism, he claimed is international in the wid- est sense and he spoke of the orga- niza tions in the older countries which would prevent war between England and Germany in the interests of the capitaIist class as workingmen. are determined not to shoot each other down in a quarrel which is none of theirs and in which they have no part