New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-18
Vigilantes Begin
War on Soap Box
Orators Tonight
Mofett's Band to Silence
Reasonable Utterances
on Broadway
BY BRIGGS

Broadway is likely to be the battle
field for militant patriots and pacifisti
tonight. Cleveland MofFett's ViGi-
lantcs will launch their drive against
the so-called pro-German orators,
whose favorite camping ground is at
Thirty-seventh Street, just off the
Great White Way. The Vigilantes will
be opposed by the Constitutionslists,
whom the Civil Liberties Bureau, a
pacfist body, will send out to see that
the right of free speech is not impaired.
While the two divergent groups of
citizens are laying their plans to patrol
Broadway, Union Square, Madison
Square, and other centres of soap tox
oratory, the Friends of Irish Freedom,
under whose auspices the meeting that
Mr.. Moffett broke up Monday night was
held, have expressed their intention to
continue holding street meetings and
airing their views.
test of their right to 90 on criti-
cising Great Britain and eulogizing
irish revolutionists probably will b.
made tonight, when the Vigilantes will
cause an arrest as soon as a supposedly
reasonable utterance is made.
Roosevelt Praises MofTett
Theodore Roosevelt yesterday gave
his approval to the plans of Mr.. MofTett
and the American Defence Society in O
letter to Police Commissioner Woods.
at seems to me-" the Colonel says,
that Mr.. Moffett performed a great
and most useful service, and, knowing
you as | do, am certain that you take
this view, and that you will take what
ever steps are necessary to prevent any
repetition of the absurd miscarriage Of
justice which resulted in the treason
able orators going free and the man
who protested against their reasonable
uttersnces being arrested.
1--WE arc in this war TO a finish, and
the man is traitor to this nation who
directly or indirectly upholds Germany
or attacks any of our allies while this
war is pending. The street orator who
takes such a course is preaching sedi-
ton, and the police should take sum-
mary action about it,"
Colonel Roosevelts use of the ex-
preston Unreasonable utterance' and
the employment of the phrase by di-
rectors of the American Defence So
ciety are criticised by Roger n. Bald
win, director Of the Civil Liberties
Bureau, who declared in a letter to
Mr.. Moffett yesterday "there is no such
thing as a reasonable utterance."
One Definition of Treason
The letter is a frank attempt to de-
fine treason in answer to Mr.. Moffett's
request that President Wilson state au-
thoritatively what is treason and what
is not.
Treason is the only crime" Mr..
Baldwin points out, (which the Con-
stitution makers felt ought not to lie
left to Congress or the Executive to
define. A memorable decision of Chief
Justice Marshall in the Aaron Burr
case made it plain that treason could
consist only in armed resistance to the
government of the United States"
Mr.. Baldwin explained that his bu-
reau would have representatives,
known as Constitutionalists at meet
ings, which the Vigilantes visit, and
that they would be willing TO testify
in court as to the precise nature Of the
utterances made on soap boxes. He
pointed out that it would be unjust to
arrest q speaker until he finished his
address, as his statements must be con
sidered in reference to what precedes
and comes after them.
Ninety patriots have already enrolled
as Vigilantes, and they will receive red
cards 10 identify them with the police.
The patrol squad will meet at the
American Defence Society headquar-
tiers, 303 Fifth Avenue. at noon to-day
for instructions. Representatives Of
the police, the District Attorneys of
flee and the Federal authorities in this
city have promised to attend and give
l..