New-York tribune., 1919-11-10
Majority Arrested
Here Are Released
Pamphlets and Papers in
Many Languages Said
to Urge Direct Action

Ahirty-nVe OF the 1000 or more men
taken In Saturday nights raids on the
headquarters of the Communist PARTY
OF America were formally charged by
the police yesterday with criminal
anarchy and with fomenting con-
splracy to overthrow the government
They will be arraigned to-day. prob
ably before Chief Magistrate McAdoo.
Efforts will be made by the Lusk
Legislative committee to have the nris-
oners turned over to the Federal au
tnorltles with recommendations that
Ii found guilty they be deported.
About $50 of those taken. by the
raiders at the Communists seventy
one branches in Manhattan, The Bronx
and brooklyn were released after thev
had been driven to Police Hcadouar-
ters IN patrol wagons and had been
searched and examined until a O'Clock
IN the morning. Senator Clayton Lusk.
chairman of the committee, who d-
been found against them.
Come Results of the Raids
Some of the results of the raids, Mr.
Lusk said, were:
Twenty-Five tons of books. pam
in English. Russian and other Ian
guages and intended to exhort work
ing people to overthrow the govern
ment' were seized and taken to Chief
Magistrate McAdoo's office at 800
Mulberry Street
The records show there are In New =
York 1900 members of the Commu-
mist party, each of whom has signed
q pledge to help overthrow the gov
ernment.
Not more than 5 per cent of those
taken in the raids are American citi-
zons, and many are unable to speak
English.
Evidence was obtained showing
that John Reed who organized the
Communists in Chicago last Septem-
ber, is now in Europe, trying to get
into Russia. More than year ago
Reed returned from Russia accred-
tied as "Bolshevik Consul General to
New York "
Mr.. Lusk said proof had been OBJ
tanned that the Communists were
"heavily financed" He declined to
state where the financial support
came from.
Larkin Among Prisoners
James Larkin, agitator for Irish
freedom and co-worker with Reed in
forming the Left Wing branch of
the Socialist party, is among the
prisoners.
Two revolvers and six boxes of
cartridges were found in the home
of Benjamin Gitlow, 257 Hopkins
Street, Brooklyn. He was charged
with being a Communist leader in
his district, with headquarters at
his home Gitlow last year was
Socialist member Of the Assembly,
elected from the Sd Assembly Dis
trict in The Bronx.
"Our purpose in making the raids
was to find out just how far the Com
munists intended to Co." said Mr.. Lusk
We have learned that they want moth
ing less than the overthrow of the gov
ernment. They do not advocate it's
overthrow by violence. They say vio-
lence will not be used unless it Is to
resist violence.
Few Could Speak English
1T was amazing how few Of those
arrested could speak English. At the
headquarters at Maspetk Avenue,
brooklyn, foreigner was in charge.
search disclosed two loaded revolvers
and quantity of chemicals, the nature
OF which has not yet been determined
and the Federal authorities the benefit
OF the data we have found to assist
them in their efforts to enforce the
law. We believe the time has come
Tor vigorous campaign for the pro-
lection of our institutions. We are
anxious to have our present laws
tested to see what additional law is
needed All the city and state officials
need to destroy this menace to our
government is proper backing by the
Legislature: That they will have"
Samuel A. Berger, deputy attorney
general, counsel for the Iusk com,
milttee, said all the foreign language
literature seized will be TRANSLATED
tie said the committee expects to make
startling revelations when the propa-
ganda Is examined. FT'
Split From Socialist PARTY
The Communist party grew out Of
split IN the Socialist party The ex-
1treme radicals among the Socialists.
headed by Reed and Larkin, becoming
impatient at what they called the con,
servatism' of the party, formed a