The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1913-07-24
SINCLAIR
FACES THEM
sNoHoMIsH COUNTY AND
SINCLAIR CROSS SWORDS
AT THE ARLINGTON HIGH
SCHOOL.

Comradc !, ". sinclair an opportunity
10 meet the few citizens who have en-
tered a protest against his election as
principal OF the Garfield school, the
dividing of the ways between the
workers and the eNploiters stood out
in unmistakable contrast
Comrade John Morris called the
meeting to order with DR. Oliver, a
member of the board acting as seCre-
tary After the reading of the petition
by Secretary Oliver (some forty names
being attached thereto) Comrade Sin
clair took the floor
In his address some splendid com
parisous were made between the lingo
patriotism of the money grub and that
of the verile Socialist workers.
The opposition TO Sinclair was the
outcome of an article written by him
and printed in the Commonwealth and
other Socialist papers critci2ing three
laws supposed to have been enacted
by the last legislature. one of these
supposed enactments called for the sa-
luting of the flag at stated intervals
by the pupils in all public schools.
Upon the criticism of this obsolete
legislation hinges the monstrous de-
linquency of Comrade Sinclair. Many
pow-wows were held by the indignant
and virtuous protectors of this fair
land. Every little read patriot in the
community held up his unsullied hands
in holy horror at the calamity that
would be fall us If Comrade Sinclair
were permitted to come here and
teach. Then they straight way hied
themselves to the polls on Saturday
last and tried to cripple the high
school by voting down a measure that
was imperatively necessary to the eff
cheney of that school The bourgeois
instinct can never rise above a stupid
and uncalled-for prejudice to meet
like men a crying need.
This meeting was the elimination
of the excited and fearful state into
which these otherwise mild gentlemen
had worked themselves over this af-
fair. Therefore the level-headed
working men thought it advisable to
exhibit Comrade Sinclair unclaimed
and incaged in an open hall before
the crowd just to show them that we
have him partially tanned although he
has opinions of his own and will eX-
press them like a true born freeman.
The state superintendent of schools
became alarmed and sent an urgent
tanner in the person of one Mr.. Faus-
set, prosecuting attorney of Snohom-
ish county, TO be on hand to meet any
untoward eXigency that might arise.
Mr. Faussett's admission of the receipt
of this telephone call revealed the
statewide character of this fight.
Mrs. Lizzie Jones, county superin-
tendent of schools, honored the oc-
90 sion with I'm no m n nrpcnnpp
just to lend some Jones atmosphere
(as one of them stayed away, but
not to answer any questions. Last
and by no means the least, our oscil-
lating political mayor who doesn't
know anything about anything that is
going on in town, displaced his al
lotted moiety of the atmosphere and
in the last throes of the meeting
showed just how stupid Bull Moose
mayor can be and think he is getting
by with it by trying to purge a strick
en- conscience of a structure that did
not name him but hit the mark.
Now for the entertainment. Com
rade Sinclair has finished a forceful
and clean exposition of the intelligent
workman's view of flags and patriot
ism without resorting to jingoism
Tanner Fausset, after allowing suffi-
cient time, to pass, in order that the
desired amount of expectancy might
be generated, steps to the front with
several typewriter sheets of speech
and quizZ When the vibratory ecstacy
of the auditors did not meet his guage
he would asSend into flights of pat
riotic oratory that would put to shame
the tail end of the speeches used by
every rotten politician during the last
decade. With great profundity he
compounded one little mistake of Com
rade Sinclair into a legion until the
comrade looked like kaleidoscope of
mistakes at any angle you might turn
him. This cheap method of trying to
convey a wrong impression is as old
as the existence of this class of law
yer. They have ever been a discredit
to the profession and what dignity the
calling might possess is largely dimin-
ished by these shyster methods. In
this instance those present wanted
Comrade Sinclair's real attitude on
the contention involved, but Mr.. Faus-
sets shallow conception of duty seems
to be that of deceiving his hearers
and if he succeeds flatters himself by
calling victory a result that to man
of poise and clean mental processes
would be disgraceful The one bright
feature attending such ineXcusable
chicanery is the utter contempt this
class of lawyer receives at the hands
of every intelligent worker.
There is a long road yet to be trav-
eled by this man Fausset before he
enters the domain of true intelligence.
The system has shamefully diverted
him from the paths of real character
building. We pity him.
The Arlington Times report of the
proceeding was fair and dignified, al
though the editor is not of our inclina-
ton. The contrast between this re-
port and the silly make-shift printed
in the Chronicle, sheet owned and
edited by Mayor W. II. Ford, was de-
cidedly refreshing. The Chronicle re-
port served no purpose either for or
against our cause IL was worthless
abortion but a true reflex Of an eX-
ceediugly low order Of mental devel-
opment. We leave this editor TO time
and change for his mending
I'm spite of the vicious character of
the attacks on Sinclair the meeting
was of distinct propaganda value. A /
Well filled auditorium greeted the
speaker with deep attention and en-
thusiastiC applause. Scores of persons .