New-York tribune., 1918-06-07
Government Calls Camp
Cook to Prove Violation
of Espionage Act
Admits Propaganda
Circulated Book Which 1t Is
Charged Obstructed the
Draft Law

Hans lnsberg, who describes himself
as conscientious objector doing
kitchen work at Camp Devens. was the
governments chief witness yesterday
against Joseph B. Rutherford and
eight other followers of the late Pas
tor Russell, who are on trial before
Judge Howe in the Brooklyn Federal
Court, charged with violation Of the
espionage act
Publication of "The Finished Mys-
terry" and circulation of more than
100000 copies by the Bible and Tract
Society. one of the Russell organiza-
tions in Brooklyn, constituted con-
spiracy to defeat the enforcement of
Judge Isaac n. Oeland, Special Deputy
Attorney General, who is conducting
the governments case.
In support of this contention he
placed lnsberg on the stand and OBJ
tanned from him an admission that he
had not only read "The Finished Mys-
terry" but had distributed many copies
Of 1t in the libraries and recreation
centres at Camp Devens and in addition
had received letter from Rutherford,
Pastor Russell's successor, in which
Rutherford advised him how to act
when he was called to the colors. This
letter, regarded as the most damaging
piece of evidence yet offered, was read
in court Parts of it follow:
eve know the present institutions
are unrighteous because controlled by
imperfect men. We know that the
present order is Babylon and the day
has come for it to go down in a great
time of revolution and anarchy which
shall follow this war. We know the
Kingdom of the Lord is at hand and,
having consecrated ourselves to him.
we must pay our allegiance to the
Lord.
"If officers of the present govern
ment disregard the law there is moth
ing we can do, nor can consecrated
Christian engage in the war in any
form.
"If you feel you cannot conscien-
tiously have anything to do with the
war, then you will refuse and let the
officials take their own course. You
will probably be confined in prison or
shot. If confined in prison it may be
the Lords way of witnessing the
Truth. Probably the Lord wants some
of his saints in prison for while to
tell the element they meet there that
the Kingdom of Heaven is at
hand. ~
Insberg said the letter was in re-
Spouse to one he had written to the
Brooklyn society before he had been
actually drafted. When he reached the
camp, he testified, he refused to put
on uniform or drill He was finally
assigned to the task of washing dishes
with other objectors. He said he cir
culated copies Of "The Finished Mys-
terry" in the camp so that the other
boys might have chance to rejoice
in the truth" Insberg will resume his
testimony this morning.
Here are extracts from the book
cited as unlawful by government at
torncys:
"Nowhere in the New Testament is
patriotism encouraged. Everywhere
and always is murder in its every form
forbidden, yet under the guise of pa
triotism the civil governments of the
earth demand of peace loving men the
sacrifice of their lives and their loved
ones and the butchery of their fellow
men"
"The great European war, and other
wars are Justly laid at the doors of the
system that has perpetuated the doc
trine of the divine right of clergy and
kings"
The book is described as "a posthu
nous work of Pastor RUSSELL"
Roy c. McHcnry, cf Scranton, Penn,
special agent of the Department of
Justice, testified that Clayton ]. Wood
worth. one Of the defendants, admitted
the authorship Of a great part of the
work. Some of it was written before
the United States entered the war and
the rest afterWard