Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-03
SOCIALISM D|sLOYklTY
IN DISGUISE, IS CHARGE.
Primaries in New York Show Ger.
man-American Centers Cast
Biggest Socialist Vote.
GROWTH AT BUFFALO CITED
Party Strength There Shows 600 Per
Cent MISUNDERSTANDING May Be
Directing It's Activities-Go, ern.
ment May Act.

WASHINGTON. November 2.-Poli-
ticians are noting the sudden Increase
in the Socialist sentiment In the United
States. marking it not for its signifi-
canoe as political development. but
in concern over it's sinister aspect as
cloaking a movement of disioyalty to
the government in the conduct OF the
war. That it Is not genuine political
outcropping. for the advancement Of
the understood principles of socialism,
is proven, 1t Is declared. by the fact i
that the real Socialists. such as Spargo
Russell and others. are leaving the So
cialist party and it's candidates for
tho period OF the war.
That the term Socialist and the party
Itself being used by pro-Germans,
by antidraft and dIsloyal elements
Of the population for purposes Of orr
gantzation and adherence and for the
expression at the polls Of opposition
to the course OF the government, Is
firmly asserted and believed in many
quarters.
Specific Instances in proof are cited /.
in political circles. The most siguif5S
cant occurred in Buffalo a fortnight ORA
SO ago. Primaries were held for thes
mayoralty nomination. The Democrat
tic candidate received about I8,0O0$
votes. the Republican. $4,000, and the
| Socialist. $4,000, the normal Socialist
strength being about 1000.
GERMAN-ANIERICAN VOTE
FOR SOCIALIST CANDIDATE
Now comes the rub: Analysis OF the
| vote by wards and precincts by the
! local political managers disclosed the Z
fact that sections OF the city In whicS
there is q large population Of Ger
! man descent furnished the vote for tho 3
Socialist candidate. 1t was developed
beyond dispute. it Is said, that this
otherwise ineNplicable jump in the
Socialist vote was definitely located by
tho returns to the wards where voters
OF German descent and sympathes pre-
dominated The deduction was that
they locked to the Socialist ticket to
express their advocacy OF immediate
| cessation of the war. peace on any
| terms, which, OF course. means peace
| on German terms IL declared now.
| In n Western state recently twenty
| seven farmers were indicted by tho
government for opposing the draft and
advocating submission to referen-
dunn OF the question OF whether the
United States shall continue In the
war. 1t is reported that these men
were Germans. speaking the German
language and living In a community
| by themselves. They pleaded that they
were Socialists and as such were votc-
ing their political opinions. which theyA
claimed a right to entertain. Theyj
will he tried for sedition.
Men who have come eastward ref
Gently, and reports from responsibility
sources in the Middle West insist tht9}3
| in Wisconsin. Minnesota and the DIN
kotas >ro-Gcrman sympathy Is crystaSS'
| l!Zing expression in support of t,iS'
| Socialists. To their emblem there I'D
also said to be coming other elemeEss
OF general disEruntlemcnt. disaffection'
and dissatis faction, but the antiwar in-
crement is the most important. @
! MAY ASK DEPARTMENT a.;st
OF JUSTICE TO AcT!
Some politicians think that II may.
yet devolve upon the Department of
Justice to inquire whether there is a
central pro-German directing force re-s
, sponsible for this aggregation about
the Socialist banner of the pro- Germ ans
or whether 1t is but spontaneous
movement of individuals in their e1-,
preston Of remonstrance against active
and further participation by the United
States In the war. The DepartmentNof
Justice. 1t Is said, Is already aware OF.
the situation.
The result OF tho ballotng In the
New York mayoralty campaign will be;
watched with the greatest Interest by.
the politicians and by the government.
AS is we'll known by this time. Hillquit,t
the Socialist candidate for Mayors
openly advocates immediate steps for,
peace and abandonment OF war ACTIVE
tiles by the government. He has been
disavowcd and repudiated by leading
Socialists ms unrepresentative OF the
genuine principles OF socialism, and
branded as a Socialist OF the type Of
| the Russian Lenine. @Ss
While In New York City It will not be
easy to definitely distinguish the HILL
quit vote with reference to the location
or the Germa descended populations.
the aggregate vote will he Illuminating
when compared with the normal So.
CialiSt vote of preytous yeora NJ
fi!llqutt's speeches. 1t is reported IN.
the New York papers. are being taken
| In shorthand by agents OF the Departs
ment of Justice, presumably for afters
inspection as to possible seditious Iut-a
terances which might bring him within
the purvtew OF the law. Sls IS
Ebo~~o -: CT H. f