New-York tribune., 1919-02-18
n caring Makes
Socialist Talk
To Trial Jury
Man Who Is Charged With
Violating Espionage Act
Expounds His Theories
Sees More War Coming
Prosecutor Barnes, in Re-
ply, Says Accused VIII Do
Same Things Over Again

Or. Scott Nearing, who is on trial
before Judge julius -. Mayer in the
United States District Court. on a
charge Of violating she espionage act,
in a speech to the jury in his own de
fence, advocated the philosophy of
leach for ali, and all for each" yester-
day He was explaining the social
theories expressed by him in "The
Great Madness" which caused his in
dictment.
Yesterday marked the last stage in
this case, which has taken about a week
and half to try. The defence and the
prosecution took the whole day to sum
Up, and Judge Mayer viii charge the
jury to-day.
Claims Right To Be Wrong
Il am charged" he said in this re-
lation, with writing q book and send
ing it to publisher. and l am indicted
for my opinions on public matters
Democracy means that the public has
the right to talk a question over, con
slider it and then register its opinion
The moment you check discussion yor
destroy democracy ! have the right te
be right, as we'll as have the right
to be wrong"
lie then went on to discuss the
social conditions. The fact, he OBJ
served. that 100000 children in this
city are in dire need of food, while Z
few possess fabulous wealth. witt
plenty of food, is the severest indict
Ment that one may make of the pres
cnt "capitalistic" system.
Admits He's a Socialist
The District Attorney was at great
pains" he said, "to prove to you that
am Socialist. l am Socialist.
an an internationalist. ! am of The
belief that all men are created equal
believe ultimately the whole worle
Will be federated together.
The thing that stands in the way
Of an international brotherhood is 6
snail fragment of capitalists. The
peoples OF the world have nothing
against one another. I believe we
VIII never solve international Difficult
ties until we have taken out of the
hands Of few individuals that eco
nomic power which. enables them tc
cause trouble"
Discussing the peril which he sale
confronts America, DR.. Nearing de
ciared: Il believe this country is II
danger, in dire peril. On the one hanC
see militarism and imperialism aheaC
OF US, for this is not the last war
there viii be a war between this ma
ton and the nation which become
most powerful in Europe"
Seymour Stedman. Nearing's attor
ney, denied that Nearing had obstructeC
vacr,1--fpc, uvc-pr11 or had 1ried I,
cause characterization. He said tn
government had failed to produce on
instance OF such an act.
Mir. Barnes for Government
Earl 7. Barnes, assistant Unite,
states Attorney. spoke for the govern
ment.
The Great Madness" Mr.. Barne
aid. "openIy and frankly says thl
war was brought about in the interest
Of the big fnanciers and plutocrat:
This pamphlet pictures this partlcula
war as the product Of the deliberat
Vaccinations Of the capitalists. VII
have no regard for their fellow men.
Reviewing Dr.. Nearlng's activities j
opposition TO war, Mr.. Barnes said
He didn't want us to get ready fo
war, ne didn't want US TO go in whe
we were ready. and he wanted to &c
out when we were IN"
In fact, said Mr.. Barnes, he oppose
all support to the war in the way c
subscribing for Liberty Loan and W;
Savings Stamps.
"If men like Nearing" he said, cha
shown as much zealousness in hghtir
Germany as in opposing the Cover
nent, the war would have been or'
SIX months before it was"
Mr.. Barnes then read, over the ol
jections of Mr.. Stedman, speech d
iivered by Otto II. Kahn before II
American Bankers Association in D.
cember, in which Mr. Kahn derdC
'rwenty-year-o reformers" 70 sho
that the "plutocrats" know what
going on among the working peop
and that they are just as anxious
better conditions as the friends
the people" and college professors
Concluding, Mr.. Barnes told Il
Jury tina. in case of another war me
Ike Nearing would be prepared to {
the same thing all over again if the
were not halted. The fact that tt
war was over, he said, should not el
ter their deliberations, except that
would aid them to view the case di
passionately.