New-York tribune., 1918-05-29
He Says People Who Stand
for New Ideas Must
Prepare to Suffer
$1,536 Defence Fund
Hillquit Quotes Wilson on
Prohteering in Defend
ing Professor

THE people of America have got to
learn to think in revolutionary terms.
Revolution IS here nowhere living
through it in the United States to-day,
and people who stand for new liberties
must be prepared to suffer. They will
go to Jail, perhaps to the gallows, by
tens of thousands, for that is the table
d'hote served in revolutionary times"
Several hundred men and women who
attended a "Scott Nearing Defence
Dinner" at the Central Opera House
last night, applauded vociferously as
the lecturer, whose trial starts soon,
told them they ought to emulate Rus
sia in speeding up the social revolu-
tion.,
DR.. Nearing's vigorous address was
i'll the main Of an academic nature on
the subject of liberty in war times, and
Department of Justice agents and
stenographers in the hall yawned and
found little to interest them officially
in the speakers of the evening.
However, the dinner was fair sue
cess financially, as $1,536 was raised in
cash and pledges as the beginning of a
$4,000 defence fund. Professor Nc
Keen Cattell, who was dropped from
Columbia University, and the editors
Of "The Liberator," successor to "The
| Masses" were among the announced
contributors.
Morris Hi:lquit, Ne rings attorney
gave resume of the case against his
client, repeating the accusation that
'Big Business" was responsible for his
Indictment.
ut is the sacred dollar that Scott
Nearing had the temerity of attacking
and that is why he is before the bar
of justice" said Hillquit. "Our patriots
will stand any attack on their patriot
ism with much greater fortiude than an
attack on their dollars.
Nearing is opposed to profteering
and says So He is not the only one.'
Hillquit then read part of Presiden
Wilson's address to Congress on Mon
day, in which the President said
There is such profteering now, and
information in regard to it is available
and indisputable."
ut happens be Woodrow Wilson,
which is perhaps one reason why the
President is not indicted in the South
Espionage Law" Hillquit added
DR.. Nearing, who spoke last on list
of five speakers, declared the last year
had witnessed an economic revolution
in the United States-old institutions
disappearing, new ones taking their
places.
He declared that in the maelstrom of
change, including the taking over by
the government of transportation and
the control of every essential industry
vested authority was trampling on
everything standing in its way.
He made plea for support of those
who were opposing "vested interests
on behalf of free speech and liberty of
thought, and second fund was started
for the defense of those not so we'll
known who should run amuck of the
Espionage law through the expression
of their honest opinions.
An unsigned pamphlet sold before
and during the meeting contained the
following: "Big Business has SO effec.
lively used its control of the means Of
publicity and propaganda in the United
States that it is well-nigh impossible
to procure a jury of twelve men who
can remember, in the, presence of wal
hysteria, that free sBeech is fun
damental right. The fact that jurle,
returned verdlicts Of guilty in 225 Of
ESQ cases is proof Of the desperate
necessity of making the utmost lega
deferseN