New-York tribune., 1919-02-24
Police Check
Socialists at
Delnonic0's
Meeting Ordered Stopped,
Lights Turned OFF, Then
the Ban Is Reconsidered

Delmonico's. ordinarily the scene of
the festivities of New York's 400"
was almost the theatre last night of
an imitation Bolshevik revolution.
when the police tried to stop meet
ing that was scheduled to take place
there under auspices Of the liberties
Conference" which has been holding
two days conference at the Rand
School of Social Science.
Due to the difficulty which Socialists
ct the city have been having in getting
meeting places, the plan of using Del
monico's was hit upon. The Grand Ball
room having been rented and every
thing apparently satisfactory 300 rad
icals presented themselves at the ia
nous hotel, and were admitted.
These auditors had been sitting
quietly gcssiping only few minutes,
when waiter entered the room.
mounted the platform which had been
put up for the speakers and informed
them with a foreign accent that the
meeting could not be held and asked
that the people please leave the room.
Invitation to Leave Scorned
Immediately a torrent of questions
was hurled at the waiter, especially
as to who it was who had ordered the
meeting called off. Being unable to
elicit any answer, the radicals an
nounced firmly they had no intention
of leaving, and resumed their CONVEX
sation
The waiter left. and almost imme-
diately afterward all the lights but
enc went out. There was a little con-
fusion, for some people rushed to the
exit to get out, only to collide with
few people who were trying to get in
Downstairs the doors had been
closed, and Captain William Duggan
Of the East Fifty-first Street Police
Station, who had been sent for by the
who were trying to get in that the
meeting was all off, and they had bet
ter 20 home
Told of the situation in the ball
room, Captain Duggan rushed up
stairs, mounted the platform ana in
the darkness told the audience the
meeting could not be held When
asked on whose authority he spoke,
Captain Duggan answered that 1T was
under Special Deputy Commissioner
Allan Ryan's directions.
At this point Gilbert f. Roe, one of
the scheduled speakers and a former
partner of Robert NJ. La Toilette, got
up and said that if the meeting were
being closed by the police he for one
would go home, but if it was the
management then the audience had
perfect right to remain.
Order Traced to RYAN
After questioning the newspaper men
finally learned it was Special Deputy
Commissioner Ryan who had ordered the
meeting closed on his own authority,
and when Captain Duggan arrived had
10 20 home, as there would be no
meeting.
Asked about this by the reporters,
Commissioner Ryan countered by say
ing: "You'rc newspaper men, aren't
you ?" On being answered in the affirm
atiye Ryan said: "The press Of this
city are set Of literary prostitutes
and make no exceptions"
Further attempts to question him
proved quite fruitless.
The situation became 30 intolerabe
that Captain Duggan finally decided to
call up CommisH oncr Enright on his
own initiative 10 get instructions. On
reaching him by telephone and telling
him what had occurred he was directed
TO permit the meeting TO proceed aa
soon AZ the Federal authorities sent
Btenographcrs TO take down what was
said
In the meantime the lights had been
restored and when Captain Duggan
told the audience the meeting would
be permitted he was cheered. He went
downstairs and directed tho policeman,
C0ufis,u<sd nm a,nue fo7lx