New-York tribune., 1918-03-11
indictment a Legal Mon
strosity, Says Morris
Hillquit
Approved by Loyalists
Stokes Declares Radical Prop.
aganda Is Real Menace
to Allies

day OF Victor l.. Berger, Soclalst cam
didate for United States Senator from
Wisconsin, and four other prominent
Socialist officials and workers has
8pread CONSERVATION which radical
leaders in this city yesterday made no
attempt to conceal
"This action" declared Morris HILL
quit, foremost representative of the
party in the East, "is nothing less than
q legal monstrosty. In no other coun-
try, not even in Germany, has such a
ching been dared or attempted.
"In France the minority Socialists
under Lonquet have at all times been
free to express their opinions on the
war, which arc essentially the same as
the opinions Socialists here hold. In
italy, too, the same condition obtains,
as it does in England. Germany has
imprisoned Karl Liehnecht, it is true,
but it imprisoned him as an individual,
for personal activities, not as a Minor
the democracy of the United States to
attempt to suppress regularly rccog-
nized political organizationS
Indictment of Party
Although technically it is impos-
sible to indict party, in effect that is
what this action would seem to come
to. On that basis it is an extremely
unwse and ill-advised action and will
react against this government and its
successful prosecution of the war if
pushed too far.
Radicals and member Of the old
line political parties were very far
asunier when this war first burst
across the face of civilization. Since
Americas entry recent events in Rus
sia, coupled with a cessation of the
first violent anti.radical activities
here, have effected sort of rapproche-
ment between the two factions. 1t
would be very serious mis-
take to disturb that rapproch ement
by resumption Of the former
intoleratist tactics. It would be par
ticularly unfortunate if the public got
tho impression that this seeming re-
versal of the Administration attitude
were merely method of playing pol
itics."
Asked if he considered the official
|
ed at ST. Louis. was a fit document for
Americans to SUBSCRIBED to at the pres
ent time, Mr.. I1illquit replied that
"things had changed somewhat" since
last April. when the war was de-
nounced rs a capitalist conflict and agi-
tation against it encouraged.
Put if the government is really out
to quash disloyaltv." he said. cit will
not go out after Socialists. 1t will go
M Of fto,. f1,O h,,,o, ne
ety. the American Rights League, the
Security League and the sort of peo-
pie those organizations represent.
They have spread more dissension in
the last few months, have more bitterly
assalled The government of this coun..
try. than all the Socialists in the
nation ever thought Of doing.
Stands for Wilson Peace
eve stand for a general peace, yes.
But general peace is a very different
thing from the German peace that YOU
hear so much talk about from the capi-
talist classes whenever a cessation Of
hostilities is mentioned. We do not
stand for a accomplishment Of territory
to Germany. Mr.. Berger has been
quoted in the newspapers as saying
that he advocated the withdrawal now
Of American troops fyom Europe
do not believe he said that. If he did
do not agree with MIN. That is not
general democratic peace on the basis
that President Wilson so eloquently
outlined on February H."
Mrs. Rose Pastor Stokes, who left the
party because Of the adoption Of the St.
Louis platform, only to return later,
took much the same attitude. The at
titude of the Allied governments toward
Japanese intervention, she feels, has
thrown once tepid radicals back into
their former view that, after all, this
is at bottom "capitalist war"
In a dictated statement. she said:
"Pcrsecution or prosecution of those
who freely criticsc can result only in
an increase in the number of critics.
tor Berger and other prominent So
cialists for speaking the truth as they
see it will only cause other Socialists
to redouble their efforts to cry the
truth from the house tops"
Sound Policy, Say Loyalists
The very tenor 6f these replies was
cited by the loyal American element
of the party as the soundest reason for
proceeding vigorously against those
who have at all stages tried to impede
American progress toward efficient
warfare.
Mrs. Stokcs's husband, James G
Phelps Stokes, who flvm the outset has
stood out aoains. the Socialist teclara-
ton at st. Louis, while deprecating any
interference with genuine freedom Of
speech, said:
Honest radicals in this country are
in many cases endangering the cause of
democratic liberty throughout the
world far more than our government
is endangering that cause through its
endeavors to check those forms OF
propaganda which tend to weaken the
solidarity of American resistance to the
colossal German menace.
ut would be ridiculous to suppose
that the German government does not
rejoice at all that tends to spread dis
sension here. The fact that many radi-
calls who would not touch German gold
arc willing to carry on anti-war prona.
Ganda voluntarily by no means lessons
the value of their work to the German
cause: A sane educational propaganda
IN behalf of complete democracy must
certainly continue; but such anti-war
propaganda as has been carried m hv
radicals who rally rround the ST louis