The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1913-12-20

and oratory. The armory was we'll
filled, and the audience was com.
posed OF strong socialists, anti-so-
cialists and neutrals.
Mr.. Collins is a forceful speaker
and he knows his subject we'll. He
met the Socialists with their own
weapons; used abuse as they are in
the habit of using it, and when it
was necessary met soap-box rebukes
just as the professional Socialist
''soap boxer" is in the habit of doing
It.
Mr.. Collins did not discuss the
philosophy of Socialism, except as it
applies to Christianity and the trades
union movement. He showed from
the writings of the leading Socialists
that they questioned the existence Of
GOD. In this respect he proved his
case. He also showed that most of
the Socialist writer's were against the
American labor movement as repre-
sented by the American Federation
Of Labor.
Reads From the Record.
His attack upon Morris Kaplan.
the recognized Socialist leader in Du
luth, created a sensation. OF course.
the Socialists did not like it, but for
once they had to take their medicine,
1T least that portion of them who
,hought they saw in Kaplan the ideal
labor leader Collins did not con-
denim Kaplan; he merely quoted from
Socialist leaders who had done so.
He read from the proceedings of the
national Socialist convention in which
Ben Hanford, a union printer and
Cnce candidate for vice president on
the Socialist ticket, characterized
Kaplan as a spokesman for strike
breakers and scabs.
kaplan has no sympathy for the
LABOR movement represented by the
American Federation of Labor or any
OF its affiliated unions, as is we'll
known. A letter in the New Times
last spring in which he justified his
action in not affiliating the alleged
miners union Of Crosby with the
western Federation of Miners showed
Where he stands toward the labor
movement, and it was largely on &C.
count of his conduct of that strike
that prompted the trades union men,
bers in the Armory to applaud the
attack made on him by Mr.. Collins.
c1c<atOS E1uo impression.
Mr.. Collins created. a fine impress
sion with his audience. -. His perora-
ton was a jewel in oratory. and
after he had concluded he invited
questions and they were shot at him
thick and fast. Several impatient
Reds in the audience who did not
take the time to ask questions took
delight in calling Mr.. Collins "a liar"
and when they resorted to such epi-
thets the speaker did not fail to
place them before his audience as
exhibits Of the Socialist following"
Mr.. kaplan challenged Mr.. Collins
to debate, and before the Social
lists had chance to make any stip-
ulat1ons Collins came back with his
"tickled to DEATH" Mr.. Collins then
stated the question to be debated
which was as follows:
"Resolved, That Peter w. Collins
told an untruth when he said that
Socialism was against Christianity
and the labor movement"
MI. Collins will return to Duluth
late In January to debate with Mr..
kaplan. 1t Is believed. however, that
local Socialists will pull Kaplan off.
and they will try to put in his place
the Rev. Carl Thompson of Milwau-
Kee. In any event no hall in this
city will be large enough to accom-
modate the crowd that will attend.
no matter who the Socialists NAV
choose as their representative.
Debates at Brainerd.
Mr.. Collins left Duluth last Friday
morning for Brainerd, where he de-
dated with Senator Gaylord of Wis
consln before a large audience. com.
posed mostly of members of the So
cialist party.
6ralnerd Is a Socialist town: if
has Socialist mayor, and it was to
De expected that the audience would
De composed largely of Socialists.
nevertheless, Mr.. Collins held his
own, and while sentiment was largely
against him when he opened, he fin
shed in a veritable blaze of glory.
richard Jones, the well-known So
clallst lawyer, who is a good friend
OF The Labor World, no matter what
his political belief may be-, has been
asked by us to give his version of the
Collins meeting from the Socialist
viewpoint. He has kindly consented
It is as follows:
That man on the floor OF a big
public meeting is at a DISADVANTAGES
when attempting to question a speak-
er was never better demonstrated
than when Peter w. Collins spoke at
the Armory Thursday evening. With =
stereotyped speech and a sympathetic
audience, the questioner with oppos-
Ing views, has little chance of pro-
curing a direct answer from a. sneak
er equipped with Collins cleverness
Platform Speakers ADVANTAGE.
Several honest Duluthians nro.
pounded questions to Mr.. Beveridpe
at the latter's invitation, when that
gentleman visited Duluth on behalf
OF Theodore Roosevelt during the last
presidential campaign. They received
raw abuse for daring to accept tn.
invitation. After reflection, I believe
the fair-minded people who were
present last Thursday evening will
agree that Mr.. kaplan's COMMUNE
cation deserved at least gentlemanlv
consideration. Mr.. Collins TRADE
against Mr.. Kaplan and his alleged
past record was not an answer. hit
IS the usual custom followed by Col