The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1914-05-21
HAD
STORMY TINE

OUVluJI IuIk
ANTI-SOCIALIST SPEAKER, WHO
WILL BE IN MINOT SUNDAY
AFTERNOON, STIRRED EN- UP
ACROSS THE LINE.
The following is taken from Mon
days Calgary Albertan, and tells of
a stormy time that ensued while David
Goldstein, the anti-Socialist, was
speaking in that city. Goldstein will
deliver an address at the opera house
in Minot Sunday afternoon, May "a.
There was near riot in the Sher-
man Grand theatre last night when
David Goldstein, of Boston, delivered
his lecture on "Christianity versus
Socialism" before a crowd of excited
people that packed the theatre from
pit to dome.
There We're a great many Socialists
of the extreme militant type in the
audience, and the speakers assertions
and sarcasms goaded them to fury.
Beginning with an occasional COM
ment from the floor, the interruptions
soon became frequent. Questions and
criticisms were hurled at the speaker
from floor and gallery, and the last
half hour was period of angry tur-
moil, during which Mr.. Goldstein was
only heard fitfully and the body of
the house was fairly alive with angry,
gesticulating and shouting men.
So frank and explicit were some of
the remarks and quotations with re-
gard to certain mooted questions in
relation to the sexes and Socialism,
that many women left the theatre. The
climax of the excitement arose when,
after talking from o'clock, at Ills
the speaker announced that he intend
ed to catch, the 11:45 train for the
north.
Shouted and Howled.
The Socialists, who had been simply
aching for chance to "get after him. -
tand had questions enough to fill book
ready to let fly, rose up in their wrath
at this declaration.
They shouted and howled, and they
shook their fists.
"You did it on purpose!"
"Wait for the morning train!"
"Coward"
"You don't dare face us!"
Such are few of the volley Of re-
marks flung at the speaker from every
part Of the house.
Mr.. Goldstein stuck to his resolution
however. He was only heard to ans.
wer one question. Someone demanded
why he had sold out from the Social.
lists to join the Catholic church.
| %o IN v,,,f Q100 an
that he can just step up here and put
up the, money!" yelled Goldstein, red
in the face.
A moment alter, his voice amost in
audible in chorus of derisive yells
and challenges, J. B. Creegan, grand
knight of the Knights of Columbus
under whose auspices the lecture was
given, declared the meeting adjourned
Mr.. Goldstein was escorted to the
| C. P. r. station by bodyguard OF
members of the order, who had beer
seated on the stage, through mob Of
several hundred men who were waiting
out in the street, who hooted and yell.
ed, but attempted no other demonstra'
ton.
Hostile to Christianity.
| Mr.. Goldstein devoted his lecture
chiefly to an attempt to prove that
Socialist teaching was hostile to the
Christian religion, and that its mos'
prominent writer's and leaders advo
Gated atheism and free love. In spite
of the fact that half a dozen men ii
the audience shouted 1--WE admit it,
he produced from his grip book afte1
book written by Socialist authors, ant
insisted on quoting chapter and verse
in support of his contentious.
It was favorite trick of the speak
er to make some particularly direc1
statements with regard to this or thai
Socialist doctrine, and when someon.
would shout "Prove it." to say II will
I will read it," and then from th'
pages of Engell, Bebel, or Bach M
would proceed to sustain his point
while the portion of the audience which
was friendly to him applauded in sym
pathy.
"The claim that Jesus Christ was {
Socialist is blasphemy!" he declared
ut is against reason and against his
tory" (Applause and derisive shouts.
The speaker denied passionately thai
Protestant Christianity was the pro
duct of an economic necessity.
All Atheists.
"You Socialists are atheists. Every
Socialist leader and writer is an athe
ist of one brand or another. The Soc
ialist party is officially circulating
atheist and free love literature"
The speaker read long list Of books
| in support Of his claim. He raised
laugh by a quotation from Socialis1
newspaper commencing certain vol
umes which contained irreligious
teachings as being suitable for Christ
mas presents. :,
There were lively interchanges al
the time. A reference to Mexico was
countered with another to Colorado
An allusion to the economic status Of
women led to regular volley OF inter
ruptions, woman in the gallery tax
| ing a prominent part. The discussion
| is not printable in this newspaper, anc
! it resulted in a large number OF Wo.
men leaving the theatre.
Mr.. Goldstein frequently told ms
hecklers to sit down and keep quiet
He told the lady in the gallery that NJ
was "tired Of hearing her piping