Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-07-24
Brooklyn Fights
For Free Speech

Brooklyn, Y. Y, July 21-(SpeciaD
For the last two years the Socialist
Porty Of Kings County, MY. has been
engaged in a fight for Free Speech
and Assemblage In the summer of
1911 the employees of the American
Manufacturing Company were on
strike. The Socialist Party sent speak
ers to help these workers. Most of
them we're foreigners unskilled la
horers. who lived and worked under
miserable conditions
The American Manufacturing Com
MANY knew full we'll that a greater part
of the strength of its striking workers
Law in the support given them by the
Socialist Party. They therefore con-
centrated their efforts upon Kidding
themselves of this formidable oppon-
ent.
The campaign against the Socialist
street meetings was started by turn
ing a hose upon the speaker who was
addressing a crowd of workers before
the factory But our speakers came
back, and day by day, week for week
the Socialist Party speakers braved
those outrages, in order to carry their
message of organization to the toilers
Of the factory.
Gongs, Boilers, Brass Bands.
Presently the American Manufacture
ing, Company adopted more radical
measures. A large iron plate was set
I'D before the factory and every day
from u to l o'clock several men were
set to work to pound upon it, making
it impossible for our speakers to ad-
dress the men and women during their
noon hour. In order to effectually pre-
vent speaking. they placed in an ad-
Joining lot an empty boiler which was
vigorously treated by several men with
pneumatic hammers. Before the door
of the factory, a brass band did the
rest
Naturally large crowds were attract
ed by this noise. Where the Social
list meetings had drawn ten men, the
factory owners drew, hundred. While
our speakers were poWerless to cope
with the noise, literature was freely
distributed.
The American Manufacturing Com
pany therefore, was forced to use the
most powerful weapon of the capital
lStlC CLASS dSdluSL ldUOI, LIE 14N-
JUNCTION. The Socialist Party was
forbidden to hold meetings within
thousand feet in any direction from
the corner of West and Noble streets
around which the factories of the A.
NJ Co. are located. They based their
demand for this injunction upon the
plea that traffic had been disturbed
and their regular conduct of business
interfered with, through the street
meetings. In spite of the fact that at
the subsequent hearing. on this case,
we presented about go witnesses who
proved beyond doubt that the crowds
became unmanagable only when the
Company put into play its various
noise making devices, a permanent in
junction, prohibiting the Socialist
Party from holding street meetings
on streets adjoining the property of
the A. NJ. Co., has been granted
We are now placed before the altern-
alive: SHALL WE SUBMIT? If we
do, a dangerous precedent has been es-
tablished, a precedent which will en-
able any manufacturer, and property
holder, to prohibit our present meet
ings.
Shall We Appeal =
1t involves a cost of-aIbOut thous-
and dollars as the whole of the evil
dence as taken down in the steno-
graphic court reports must be present
ed in print to the appellate division.