The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-06-16
BERKMAN AND
EMMA GOLDMAN
HELD FOR PLOT
Accused of Inducing Young
Men to Violate Regis
tratiOn Law.
BOTH LOCKED IN TOMBS
"Literature' in Office Of An
archist Publications Seized
as Evidence.

Emma Goldman and Alexander Berk-
man were arrested yesterday afternoon
charged with conspiracy against the
Government In inducing young men to
break the selective conscription law by
not registering. If convicted they can
be imprisoned for two years and fined
$4,000 apiece. and can also be deported
for preaching anarchy. both being aliens.
United States Marshal Mccarthy
served the warrants on the pair, who
love to be called the best known an
archists in America" in the little Harlem
once where they have been publishing
Mother Earth and the Blast He said 1t
was the best thing he ever did In his
life
They were taken to the Federal Build
ing along with q young anarchist helper.
W. p. Bales, who had not registered for
CONSUMPTION. It being too late for ar
raignment they were locked up in the
Tombs They will confront United
States Commissioner Hitchcock at 9:4o
o'clock this morning. and Berkman and
Miss Goldman will probably have to give
S25,0o0 bail apiece II they want to get
out pending trial or Grand Jury action.
4 lot Of literature" in the Harlem Of
nee OF which the police and Department
of Justice are now in charge. was seized
as evidence. including copies of Mother
Earth and the Blast. Signed articles in
these magazines figure in the Govern
msnts complaint
End Of Rope Reached.
Thursday nights meeting in the For
udrd building on the East Side, wherein
the two reds now in the Tombs strained
even their own vocabularies of denuncia-
ton In raving at President Wilson. Gov.
Whitman, the United States and the law.
brought the Goldman woman and Berk-
man to the end OF the rope which a
tolerant Government had been paying out
10 them. With stenographic transcript
of those speeches before them yesterday
Cnitsd States Attorney Caffey. Capt. Of
fey of the Department Of Justice investi-
cided II was time to humor tho pair and
grant them the boon of arrest which they
seemed to be covcting.
The evidence, however, will include not
only the minutes Of the Thursday night
meeting but OF half a dozen others in the
las: month in which the Goldman Berk-
man howlings have been featured. Sergt.
George D. Barnitz of the police bomb
squad who has been specializing on an
archist leaders OF late. swore to the
complaint which caused Commissioners
Hitchcock to issue a joint warrant yes
terday. Barnitz charges that since May
IS Berkman and the Goldman woman
vilfully and feloniously have conspired
between themselves and with other per
sons to induce men between the ages OF
9l and 80 to refuse to present them
selves for registration under the selec-
i've conscription law.
Articles Under Fire.
Articles in the June number OF
Mother Earth, published by Emma Gold
man and OF the Blast, published by
Eerkman, are alleged to have been put
forth to further the conspiracy. the
warrant charges them with violating sec
lions 81 and 1872 OF the United states
criminal Code. which define conspiracy
md section OF the conscription law
These are exactly the same accusations
upon which the three Columbia students
or ex-students. Miss Eieanor Wilson
Parker. owen Cattell and Charles r
Phillips, are awaiting trial.
But the Government has at last made
up It's mind that arresting immature
students under the influence OF adults
does not constitute its full duty at 9
time when seasoned veterans OF anarchy
are yelling from every stump that gives
them foothold.
This is the Berkman article in thu
June Blast to which the Government
officially objects:
Registration is the first step Of con-
scription.
The war shouters and their prosti-
tute press. bent on snaring you into
the army. tell you that registration has
nothing to do with conscription.
They lie.
Without registration conscription is
impossible.
Conscription is the abdication OF
your rights as citizen. Conscrip-
ton Is the cemetery where every
vestige Of your liberty is to be buried
Registration is Its undertaken.
No man with red blood In his veins
can be forced to fight against his Will.
But you cannot successfully oppose
conscription II you approve Of or cub
NIT to registration.
Registration means placing in the
hands OF the authorities the despotic
power 'of the machinery of passports
which made darkest Russia what II
was before the revolution.
The consistent conscientious objector
TO human slaughter will neither reg
lister nor be conscripted.
Emma's Contribution.
The Objectionable Goldman article |
the June Mother Earth Is headed ''rh
No Conscrlption League" In part
runs.
Conscription has now become fact
In this country. 1t took England fully
eighteen months after she engaged In
war to impose compulsory military
service on her people. II was left to
free America to pass a conscriptior
bill six weeks after war was declared
The No Conscription League hal
been formed for the purpose Of en-
couraging conscientious directors Il
affirm their liberty of conscience AND
to translate their objection 10 human
daughter by refusing to participate
in the killing Of their fellow men. Th'
No Conscription League Is to be thu
voice OF protest against war ant
against the coercion of conscientioui
objectors to participate In the war
Our platform may be summarized al
follows:
We oppose conscriptfon because w
are internationalists. anti-militarist
and opposed TO all wars waged b.
capitalstic Governments
VIC will hght for what we choose Il