New-York tribune., 1918-06-28
Writer Put on Trial
AS a Disloyalist;
Defended Hearst
Stephen Binder, Who Wrote
Light and Truth" "Charged
With F Federal Violations

Stephen Binder, who wher not pur-
suing his trade of butcher in Brooklyn.
wrote and had published volume en-
titled Light and Truth; or, What Every
Person Schould Know About the
Worlds War" was placed on trial in the
United States District Court yesterday,
charged with violating the espionage
act.
Light anc Truth" in which Binder
attacked most Of the ideals and leaders
Of the Allies and showed marked
sympathy 70. the Sim Fem and Will
lam Randolph Hearst, is alleged to have
tended to incite insubordination, dis
loyalty, mutiny and refusal of duty in
the military and naval forces.
The Hearst papers seem to have
adopted the only policy toward the war
with which Binder agreed.
"In New York" passage from his
book reads, "only the Hearst papers
among the big dailies showed the real
Independent American spirit, where-
fore they came on the blacklist in
England and were annoyed with chican-
cries because they would not obey
rules"
Watched by Agents
Ever since the author first took his
work to the printer government agents
have had full knowledge of it and have
been waiting only until i: was pub
lished to arr est him. Philip G. Kempe,
Jr., proprietor Of printing establish
ment at 12S Sumpter Street. who was
the governments first witness yester-
day, testified that as soon as he had
read the book he laid the entire mat
ter before United States Attorney
France. who instructed him to go ahead
and print it. Binder paid 5000 to him
for the job, and was arrested when he
was leaving the shop with the copies
of the book under his ar n.
The volume consists of zee pages and
contains pictures of George Washing
ton, Inez Milholland Boisscvain, Johan-
nes Gutenberg, Sir Roger Easement,
Baron Won Steuben, keir Hardie,
Andreas Hofer, William Tell and
Thomas Jefferson.
The preface reads, in part:
cat a time when freedom of speech
is silenced, the right of free Americans
to criticise their government abridged
and this country practically ruled by
English lords, great capitalists and a
handful of autocrats. this book was
written and published as defiance to
our governments misrule and as the
bold assertion of the injustice of
Americas entrance into the worlds
war.
"This book is furthermore issued as
an appeal to the American people for
fair play toward the German nation
and for at least brotherly feeling to
their Teutonic brothers and their de-
scendants on these shores who by their
allegiance have made America their
home and country"
Ireland's cause and grievance are es-
pecially expcundea ard defended.
Other excerpts from the book were
read by Vine II. Smith, Assistant
United States District Attorney, who
is prosecuting the case for the govern
ment, as follows:
Our Contentious False
"Our contention that we declare war
on Germany for the freedom of the
seas is false, because we should have
declared war on England first if we
wanted to free the seas, since the Pres
ident himself called England's blockade
of Germany unjustified, which means
the freedom of the seas was stopped
already by England.
ITO call it war for American rights
would be convincing il we had not
submitted before the German viola
tions 20 the English violations Of our
rights. No. the cause was deeper; it
was TO help Engand-to save her and
her allies from defeat under the pre-
text that we commence war for Amer-
can rights. 1t was to bolster up the
dwindling hopes of big American finan-
ciers who had great fortunes at stake
in the war gamble on England's side"
kempc. in his testimony, said that
Binder told him he wanted the plates
for the books and that eventually he
intended TO print thousands of copies.
Other witnesses were William Kempe,
the printers brother. who said that
his perusal of Light and Truth" had
kept him from enlisting. and Miss
Louise Reitz. the typist who copied