New-York tribune., 1919-04-01
Powerful Forces Lining Up
to Assist the Legislative
Commission in Finding
City's Bolshevik Leaders
Radicals Not Perturbed
Socialists Willing to Let the
A | b any Investigators
Examine All Their Books

Powerful forces began lining up yes
terday to giveall the aid possible to
the Legislative commission from AL
bany which is shortly to investigate
the source, substance and extent of
Bolshevik agitation in this city.
Among the foremost OF these bodies
are the Bolshevism committee of the
Union League Club, the executive COM
mittees of the American Guardian So
clety, and the American Defence So
clety. These organizations, it was said,
irrespective of what the committee
from Albany may do, intend to prose
cute the fight on Bolshevk sympa
thzers here to the last ditch. At the
same time word came that, through All
Souls Church, a formal condemnation
OF the "Reds" is to be issued, which
probably will be followed by active
participation in the anti Bolshevik cam
palgn by the members of that concre-
cation.
"The tenents and practices of Bol-
shev1sm,' said the Rev. William L..
Sullivan, pastor of the church, "are
condemned not only by the laws of
patriotism, but by the moral law it.
self 1t is therefore wrong, in nv
opinion, for the church to maintain a
neutral attitude in this matter. 1t
is time for the church to lead in TAX
ing up the cudgels against this menace
in our midst"
Vigorous Campaign Planned
The campaign now formulating is TO
be the most vigorous and most compre-
hensivc yet undertaken against radical
ism in this country.
We have talked and talked" said
Richard M. Ilurd, chairman of the ex-
ecut'vc committee of the American Dc
fence Society, "but the time for talk
ing about this thing would seem to be
pretty nearly passed"
I'VE have reached a crisis said a
member Of the Union Leagues Boil
shcvlsm committee, "thc gravity of
which few seem to realize"
According to this man, the real task
of the commission from Albany will be
to learn where the radical organizers
get their money and directions
Many believe large sums have been
imported for radical propaganda" he
said. els this true? The Albany com
mission must decide if it is to be of
value"
Defence Society Sees Danger
In statement heralding the Ameri-
can Defence Society's crusade DR.. Will
lam 7. Hornaday said:
"At this very moment the lying lure
of Bolshevism is working day and night
to plunge the whole civilized world into
chaos and ruin"
To all of which radicals replied yes
terday that they have a perfect right
under the Constitution to agitatc for
any form of government they please
so long as they do not advocate the
use of force in changing existing
FORMS
"Certainly we're revolutionary" said
julius Gerber, executive secretary of
the New York branch of the Socialist
party. "Certainly we favor an in
dustrial democracy rather than the
present brand. Why not?"
The descent of the Albany commits
sion, Mr.. Gerber said, he awaited with
entire equanimity. "Theyre welcome tc
examine our books and explore the
sources of all our funds" he said.
For the Rand School, Mrs. Theresa
Malkiel similarly expressed herself
while the "Novy Mir" editors, who not
the responsible spokesmen for Lenine
and Trotzky in this country, said:
eve are the official organ of the
Russian branch of the American So
cialist party. Our funds come to us
in the regular way. To look for for
eign influence is simply to waste time
However, if these gentlemen from AL
bany wish to do so they are at perfect
liberty to examine our books. That is