New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1919-12-24
GHOST STORIES
TO SCARE PEOPLE
THOMAS VAN LEAR IN SPEECH
HERE TELLS OF MODERN
BoclHs

ASKS FARMERS AND WORKERS
TO ORGANIZE AND GET
BEHIND GUNS
In a most convincing and straight
forward talk, Thomas Van Lear, former
Socialist Mayor OF Minneapolis, on
Sunday afternoon told large audience
at Turner Hall how those in power in
this country aided by the big dailies
are always ready with new ghost,
stories to scare the people into sub
mission. Every time the people are.
becoming discomfort and, seeing eond-
tions in a new and different light, are
trying to make their lot easier big busi-
ness invents a new story of imaginary
bogies, hoodlums and COLLINS. All thru
his talk Mr.. Van Lear showed how this
trick had been Used with varying effect
until today they do net believe them any
llonger as shown by the recent defeat
LOT the street railway franchise in Mime
apolis and the reelection of Victor Be. :.
/ ger TO Congress in Milwaukee.
Those Present Not Afr sis...
The speaker pointed out that those.
present in the hall were net afraid OF
these CHEST" and COLLINS OF our
day. They have been told about the
dreadful agitators going around in the
country to stir up people and make
them discomfort with their present
lot but they could not be scared by these
stories, he said. They know that people
could not be stirred up Il there was nothing
to be dissatisfied with. II people are
able to make a decent living it is M
/ possible for any agitator to make them
discomfort. But if they are discomfort
with prevailing conditions it is easy to
touch the cord and help them to express
! their thoughts, the speaker ayerred.
This is not the first time in human hs
tory that people are discomfort, he
continued. II the American people had
been satisfied in the early days they
would not have fought against the rule
iof the English king and we would still
be subjects of the English crown. And
the same is true about still earlier DAYS.
# people had been satisfied at all times
America would not haye been discovered
and we still would be living in Europe.
This talk about agitators, therefore.
( should not scare anybody, Mr.. Van
Lear said.
/ Pictures SOCIALISTS.
In speaking about the terrible pictures
that has been drawn Of the Socialists
in this country, the speaker stated that
the big dailies have told the people over
and over again: Be extremely careful
not to have anything to do with these
Socialists. Way down in their hearts
they are bloodthirsty and want to or
game the ignorant people, so they can
Icreate a great revolution. They will
arm them and then overthrow the govern
ment by force. Then they will put
] up a government without religion, which
will put into practice the doctrine of
free love. Answering this charge Mr..
Van Lear said it was his firm conviction
that no political party and no govern
ment would ever be able again to decide
IN any way about the religion and the
! love Of the people In these vital
questions the people themselves would
be the sole arbiter This is only an.
other OF the ghost" stories to brighten
the people. About twenty years or SO
ago they circulated another story about
/ the Socialists, he said. They pictured
the Socialist as a wild eyed fellow, with
hair standing up, gun in hand and knife
IN mouth, ready to kill everybody
War Changes Picture.
Then the war came, and the picture
took another aspect. The Socialists
objected to shoot down strangers, people.
they never had been introduced to.
What did the newspapers say now. he
asked. With one voice they declared.
flor the last twenty years we were mis-
taken about these Socialists. They do
] not want to kill anybody, they are moth
ing more than a lot Of pacifsts.
Speaking about the papers attitude
towards the organized workiingmen. Mr.
Van Lear said that during the war stha