New-York tribune., 1919-01-19
Police Failure
At Garden / lsG
L p TO I1yla11
independent Citizens Com
mittee Of Welcome Meets
Monday to Take Up Matter
Free Speech Demanded
Hearst Disturbers Likely to
Break Up Amy Meeting Of
Citizens, Hurd Declares

Large numbers of applicants for
membership in the Independent Citi-
zens' Committee of Welcome were re-
ceived at the headquarters of the or
ganization, A East Twenty third Street
yesterday from persons who said they
WISHED to join as protest against the
assault on free speech directed by en-
ployes of William Randolph Hearst at
The mass meeting in Madison Square
Garden on Friday night
So many societies and associations
were represented among those who
expressed q desire to affiliate them
selves with the committees activities
that q special meeting OF the executive
committee was called for o'clock
Monday afternoon at 415 Madison
Avenue.
At this meeting, according TO Rich
ard NJ. Hurd, president Of the American
Defence Society and a leader in the
Citizens Committee Of Welcome, the
question will be considered of sub
mltting to Mayor Hyan a protest
against the negligence of the police to
perform their duty in quelling the care,
fully planned disturbances created
under the direction of Hearst en-
ployes.
Looked at from any angle" said Mr..
Hurd, the police failed lamentably in
their duty.
"The police took no interest what
soever in the actions of the disturb
ers. They were gentlemen of elegant
leisure. | appealed personally to Chief
Conboy. asked them to order their
men to act promptly in quelling dis
order. They did nothing.
AS | view it, a disturbance of that
character in patriotic meeting is
like an incipient blaze, and unless ex-
tlnguished promptly it becomes a
raging conflagration. However, failed
to get either of these police officials
interested in the disorder that was
all about them.
THE Tribune's narrative of the meet
ing was admirable in everv way and
strictly In accordance with the fact
in the meeting OF the executive
committee Of the citizens committee
on Monday we shall discuss the advisa-
blity Of sending a letter of protest
to Mayor Hylan, asking him to take
action against the policemen who
failed in their duty to the citizens of
New York"
Hearst and Hooliganism
Alderman Arnon L. Squiors, a mem
ber Of the Citizens Committee, said:
The outbreak in Madison Square
Garden Friday night is clear proof that
whenever William Randolph Hearst is
so disposed, any public assemblage will
be subjected to Holliganism. When
Hearst wrote his admoniton to his
mnions about not disturbing the meet
ing it was thinly disguised cncourage-
mcnt to them to break up the meeting
About the same thing can be said OF
Mayor Hylan's orders to Police Com
missioner Enright
DIR. William I. Manning's diagnosis
OF the issue, made Friday night, is cor
rect. It is Are American citizens go
ing TO permit free speech ct die in New
York City?"
DR.. John Grier Hibben. president Of
Princeton University, who presided,
said:
"They failed in their concerted ef-
fort to break up the mass meeting We
made protest which was very neccs-
sary, and which should be approved by
All real Americans.
There is no doubt that there was
an effort to pack Madison Square
Garden with an unruly element and
deny the right of free speech to Amer
lcan citizens who are without Teuton
taint
"The Indifferent police protection
was dep orable There is, believe,
great truth in the report that the po-
lice turned away citizens who were
with ut tickets as they approached
..'i"d'S"n Square Garden, thus prevent
ius mo- +'om attending who other
wise would i've been there. Open in
timations tha trouble might be ex-
pccted also played their part in keep
ing down the attendance. But the Git
liens Committee expressed itself IN
mistakably, anc will continue its ef-
forts to do ever hing to give our sol
diers, sailors aNl marines tho right
sort Of 100 per cent American well
come"
The Rev. Nehem iah Boynton. Of
Brooklyn, who was on" Of the speakers,
said:
THE disorderly dr'4 onstration in
that patriotic gathering Il. . challenge
to free speech. If the NEE. ~ vas not
packed it was modern mira J.. The
demonstrations OF affection fyr Hearst
were too well timed TO h...- en- spon-
taueous.
The whole question is resolved down
to, con there be free speech in New
York p"