New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-03
TERRORIST SYSTEM
A MISFIT in U. S.
Prof. Robinson BlameS
Idea GIimmerings" for
Bomb Attempt.
CONDITIONS PROVE
REDS" IN ERROR
Pair That Plantet Explosive
Weak Criminals, Asserts
One Analyst.

Foreigners. with idea -glimmerngs
not worked out. with terrorist phil
osOphv .hat is q misut IN mis- country
hat is how would describe the
planters Of the bum5s IN 81. Patrick :
Cath dral yesterday and anarchists OF
their tyne" said John Harvey Robin
son. professor Of history in Columbia
Tniuersity and an authority on MS
torical- philosoph subjects. IN dis
cuasirg last night The arrest ard rus
trated plot Of Abarno and Carbone.
There is no justification fer the
existence Of anarchists IN the social
conditions OF this country" he main
tanned. "It IS hard to conceive the
motives which impel such actions as
theirs. One can understand the
thoughts Of Russian nihilist. who ~
no: q criminal in the true sense, but
who is working along the lines OF a
definite philosophy toward . definite
end. or Of the terrorists of Paris who
engaged in the night for the Commune
in 1871.
But thing are different in this
country. ! can trace no analogy be-
tween conditions before the Commune
Of 1871 ard the conditions in this
country to-day which precede what
the two Italian anarchists are SAID
20 have planned commune OF an
archy and riot in New York. There
is no parallel Of cause, and there will
be no parallel Of effect.
"Thc idea Of Commune being es-
tablishcd here by men OF the type OF
Abarno and 'arbone Is absurd. Even
the most disreputable, tn" most-doWn-
and-out Of the hobos5 and the unem-
ploved IN thc city. would never follow
such leaders to wholesale plumber and
murder.
The proof that conditions in this
country do not Justify the actions OF
the two men and their knd--that an
archy and anarchism are not natural
outgrowths Of existing society here IS
simple enough Think what would hap
men if anarchists tied up the subway
for a day! The whole city would band
together for their suppression. Our
civilization is too complex, too delicate.
too sensitive. to stand such shocks
without retaliation. There are not
enough anarchists in the country 20
succeed in terrorizing New York for
any length of time. for the simple rea-
son that the community IS constructed
in such an orderly manner that no dis
turbance would be tolerated by il.
"The case Of the Commune in Paris
WAS different The country and the
city we're already in state of SEMI
anarchy. Police power and the more
certain power of public opinion mad
vanished from Paris with the capture
Of the city. the death Of her best citi-
zeus i'm the war with Germany and the
starvation and suspension O. business
which followed. 1t can be said. IN
general way, that the struggle of the
Commune in 1871. during which the
Hotel de Vile, the Luxembourg and
other public buildings were burned
and thousands died before and behind
the barbados of the anarchists, was
the more or less natural result or con-
ditions in the community:
But that cannot be said OF any at
tempted Commune in New York nor
Of the act, of the anarchists later.
These can be attributed TO misappilca-
ton of haif-formed ideas and ideals,
fitted. perhaps. to Russia or even TO
Italy. but not 90 conditions in the Unit
ed States. which are totally different
Speaking more definitely o. ire
mental makeup of the Bresci an.
archists. A. T. Poffenburger, engaged
in laboratory research and expert
mental work with the department OF
psychology at Columbia University,
spoke of the terrorist. plans revealed
by yesterdays arrests. =.
"There is no one positive type OF
mind that belongs TO the rcd" he
said. at is always possible to trace
the causes Of his criminal bent or his
anarchistic instincts. if the facts Of
his birth and his life are known. II
resolves itself into a matter Of he
redity and environment. have not
yet seen Carbonc and Abarno, but
have known men of their stamp. Their
mental attitude may be best expressed
bv The world owes me a living
at is not surprising that the two
are so young Tendencies which lead
to crime usually show themselves be
tween thirteen and twenty-five, or even
earlier"