New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-17
3 Women Enroll
AS Vigilantes
4S Men Also to Help Moi
fett's Society War on
Policeman Orators

Fifty-one patriots. including three
women, yesterday enrolled at the head
quarters of the American Defence So
ciety, 303 Fifth Avenue. as members
of the Vigilantes Committee which was
formed to stamp out treasonous soap
box oratory in this city. The vigil
antes will begin tomorrow night to
patrol Broadway around Thirty-sev-
enth street, where Cleveland Mofett,
the leader Of the drive on the pro-
Germans, broke up a meeting Monday
night.
Mr.. Moffett wrote President Wilson
letter pointing out that there was an
increasing menace from enemies within
the country. asking the President TO
state authoritatively what treason is.
Police Guard Moffet's Home
az was informed to-day" Mr.. Moffett
said last night. that pro-Gerrpan
speakers in this city are being fin
anced by Wilhelmstrasse. That is an
evil which must be stamped out. In
| less we act at once there is posi-
| bllity that there will be violence on the
| part of these traitors. There are
! trenches right over here that patriots
must fight in. Because of my action
against the disloyalists / received a
visit last night from three rough
| looking men, and now my home is UNI
der police protection. | don't care If
| am sand-bagged. for ! feel that | am
doing my bit.
,"Beginning Saturday night we are
going to patrol Broadway. Union
Square, Madison Square and other CEN
tres OF seditious meetings, and TO
make arrests for treasonous and what
appears to be treasonous utterances.
Ex-soldiers, army officers. poor men
and rich have already Joined our COM
mittee, and an avalanche of letters in
dictate that many others are interested.
Acting Chief Inspector James f. Dill
Ion has informed me that the police inA
tend to limit the scope Of what
would be permitted in street corner
meetings. The real need is defni-
tion of treason"
Letter TO President Wilson
In his letter to President Wilson,
Mr.. Moffett says:
at seems to me that, with disloyalty
working in various high and low
places mot much disloyalty. thank
God. but some), the time has come
when Americans, including the police,
must be told clearly what is treason
and what is not treason what is
sedition and what is not sedition.
How far can a street speaker go in
attacking and insulting our Allies, our
flag. our most sacred traditions? Are
there no limits to the right of free
speech? If the Constitution of the
United States guarantees TO orators a
certain wide latitude in time of peace,
does that latitude obtain in time Of
war, when it may constitute menace
to the safety of the nation?
81 make bold to ask that you clearly
define what constitutes treason and
sedition, and that you deal vigorously
with these well-attested evils of dis
loyal street speaking all over the land
by such means. legislative or other
wise. as may commend themselves to
your wise judgment"
Roger n. Baldwin, director of the
Civil Liberties Bureau, a department
of the American Union Against Mill
tarism. wrote to Commissioner Woods
protesting against "any interference
with the right of free speech in the
public streets during the war, as de-
manded by the American Defence So
ciety."
The bureau carefully explained that
it was not interested" in obstructing
the war or embarrassing the govern
ment, but merely was seeking to defend
American rights. Professor Franklin
II. Giddings, of Columbia, was quoted
in a speech he made regarding the
espionage bill to show that he consid-
cred "any attempt to interfere with
the right of free speech and free
press a blow at the very foundations Of