Evening star., 1918-02-03
SLAVS DEMAND RELEASE
Of GOLDMAN-BERKMA
Russian Societies in Convention at
New York Propose to Form Per.
manent Organization.
By the Associated Press.

NEW YORK. February 2-Gregory
Weinstein, president Of thee convention
here of Russian societies. was authorized
by the convention late today to SEND 10
President Wilson a telegram protesting
against the unjust sentence" passed upon
Emma Goldman, Alexander Berkman and
two other Russian citizens. and stating
that the convention demands their I'M
mediate release and permission to return
to Russia
Object to Wording.
Several delegates objected to the
abrupt wording of the telegram to the
the President asserting that more
diplomatic and tactful" language
should have been used. The discussion
was brought to an end, however. when
the secretary announced that the tele-
gram already had .ben sent
A bolshevik delegate who refused to
give his name gained the floor for .
plea in behalf of some l. w. w. dele
gates present" He said there were four
or five of them who had come without
sufficient funds to pay the $25 initiation
fee to the convention. All they could
raise among them was $50, he said, and
he moved that at least two be seated
with "all the rights of participation"
This was violently opposed by the mem
shevik delegates, one of whom declared
he was "a little bit ashamed to have
the colonial congress tainted with the
suggestion of the recent humiliation OF
the ]. w. W. in the west"
Immediately the congress plunged into
delirium of debate, in which the mem
Sheviki ultimately were put to rout and
the congress voted to permit the seating
of $50. ' - 10Y 'AeA'
Cablegram to Russia.
There was heated debate on the ques-
tion as to whom a cablegram Of felicita-
tion should be sent, the Russian people
or the bolshevik government, the men.
sheviki favoring a message to the Rus
sian people. After the violent rattle OF
Russian oratory had subsided. it was an
nounced that it had been voted to send
the following, addressed ITO the Peo-
pies Commissars. Smolny Institute.
The first congress of Russian colonies
in America, meeting in New York, greets
revolutionary Russia in the persons Of
the peoples commissars and the coun.
ellis of workers, soldiers and peasants'
deputies"
To Form Permanent Union.
A plan to make the Russian colonial
lcongress a permanent union Of all Rus
slams living in the United States, to be
known as the Russian colony in Amer
lea. will be submitted to the delegates
tomorrow by the committee on resolu-
tions. it was announced tonight by
IGregory Weinstein. who is said to be q
trusted friend of Leon Trotzky, bolshe.
vik foreign minister.
Several delegates declared tonight that
it is virtually certain the plan will be
| adopted 1t was admitted that the
general movement to consolidate the
Russians in this cauntry is in the in
| terest of the bolsheviki government at
| Petrograd, and is probably carried on
| with full knowledge and sanction of
Foreign Minister Trotzky, who is being
| duly informed of what is taking place
| here
Unoficially it was stated tonight that
| the program to be put before the con-
! gress tomorrow includes measures for
| the extension of educational opportu-
mites of Russian children in the
United States; the increase of immigra-
| tion from Russia after the war, and
plans for the civil and social .betterment
of Russians who come to the United
States to make their homes