American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-11-26
SOLDIERS THROTTLE BOLSHE-
VISIT RALLY IN NEW YORK
Aided by Sailors and Marines They
Break Through Police Reserves and
Break Up Red Flag Meeting-Many
Sore Heads but None Seriously Hurt


Sore Heads but None Seriously Hurt
Hundreds of soldiers, sailors and
marines broke through a Gordon of
police surrounding Madison Square
garden Monday night and attacked
international Socialists who had at
tended a mass meeting at which Boil
shevik doctrines we're expounded. The
men and women leaving the hall
broke and fed as the men in uniform
charged past the police, but were pur-
sued into the side streets in all di-
erctions.
The attack on the Socialists came at
the close OF a meeting which threat
ened from the moment it began to
break into a riot. 1t was called os-
tensfbly to protest against the exc
cution Of Thomas ]. Mooney. but Scott
Nearing, who presided, and the other
speakers devoted most of their atten-
tion to pleas for the release OF poll
tical" offenders.
Several men and women were ar
rested for displaying red flags Snug
gled into the garden in defiance of an
edict by Mayor Hylan. Large numbers
of men in uniform entered the build
ing, before the doors were locked
with the avowed determination of pre-
venting attacks upon the government.
They were restrained with difficulty
by police and detectives from making
an assault on the stage. Scores Of
fist fights were interrupted by officers.
Soldiers and sailors who were un-
able to get into the meeting sent out
patrols to round up all the men in
uniform who could be found to join
the charge on the Socialists which
had been planned to take place when
the oratory was ended and interna
tionalists started for their homes.
Madison Square was the rallying
point for the military. They quickly
staged an impromptu mass meeting
at which speakers denounced the
"Bolsheviki." They were cheered not
only by the men inuniform but by
civilian sympathizers. When some
one called upon loyal Americans" to
charge the garden and attack the in
ternationalists, several hundred re-
sponded They were driven back,
however, by mounted police and men
on foot who had surrounded the build
ing.
Realizing that they had failed in the
first attack. the soldiers and sailors
resumed their meeting and awaited
the arrival of reinforcements. Prob
ably 1000 men of both branches of the
service had assembled by the time the
meeting adjourned.
The opening Of the doors of the gar
den was the signal for a second
charge, which the police were unable
to repel I The soldiers and sailors
fought their way past swinging night
sticks and attacked the Socialists who
had packed the big building.
Almost instantly the square was
filled with yelling, running. fighting
men. The screams of women, most OF
them wearing red roses or carnations
in lieu OF the frobidden flags. rose
above the din as they clawed an6
scratched the soldiers and sailors who
were pummeling the male Socialists
Mounted police, reinforced by au
tomobile loads of reserves, rushed
from every station house within &
radius Of miles. struggled valiantly t
clear the square but made little pro
gress. Soldiers and sailors. thorough
" angered by what they considered al
irsiduous attack on the flag they hat
sworn the defend, paid little attention
to blows from night sticks. The.
we're bent on getting revenge from tn
internationalists and many Of then
succeeded.
The square was cleared Of millin
men only when Socialists by ones an
twos and in groups broke and fec
The scrimmage in the park then wa
started on a smaller scale into ever
neighboring street.
Groups of Socialists soon were run
ming along Fifth avenue a half mil
north and south of Twenty-sixt
street, pursued by shouting uniforme
men, most Of them hatless and coat
less.
When they went to the meeting til
men. almost without exception, woI
red neckties because red flags wei
under official ban. These red tie
we're the sepcial mark of soldiers an
sailors. After the fight they wei
cherished as souvenirs.
Hundreds of the Socialists wei
beaten but so far as could be learnt
rome was seriously hurt.
WCE