New-York tribune., 1919-02-15
Also Against Preparedness,
Thinks War Crime at ANY
Time, He Testifes at Trial
Again Quotes Wilson
Declares He Got Title for
The Great Madness From
Speech by the President

plonage act and to the methods by
erty Loan campaigns in the United
States District Court yesterday, where
he is being tried before Judge julius
NJ. Mayer for violating the cspion-
age act
From the time he took the stand in
the morning to late in the afternoon,
Nearing frankly elaborated his view
point to United States Assistant Attor-
ney Earl R. Barnes, who was cross-ex-
amining him. The prosecutor was try
ing to learn what DR.. Nearngs views
were when he wrote "The Great Mad
ness" on which he was indicted, and
whether he still adhered to them. He
insisted he still believed they were
right.
Mr.. Barnes took DR.. Nearing back to
that period before the war and asked
him to explain a document which he
had testified on Thursday had been
signed by 3O6 of the leading economists
of the country beside Nearing, opposing
the Liberty Loans as method of
raising funds to carry on the work of
the government, and which sugges ted
"pay as you go" method.
On Liberty Loan
Dr.. Nearing said as a Socialist he
was opposed to the workers having
any part in the raising of funds in
war that did not concern them" and
"as Socialist believe in the repudia-
tion of all property which enables one
man to live parasitically on the labor
of another" Then he added that he
included the Liberty Loan in that cate
CORY.
Questioned by Mr. Barnes, DR..
Nearing went on to admit that he had
spoken against the passage Of the con-
scription act. He declared, However,
he did not attempt to obstruct the gov
ernments war machinery. He added
that he has spoken for many organiza-
tious, such as the Peoples Council
and the American Union Against Mill
1arism.
After several questions Mr.. Barnes
brought out that the Civil Liberties
Bureau, which DIR. Nearing had spoken
for, was devoted to the work of de
Tending conscientious objectors," and
as the witness put it, ito see to it that
freedom of speech and assemblage and
other similar rights were not cur
tailed"
The ST. Louis Resolutions
Mr.. Barnes then asked DR.. Nearing
whether he had read and approved the
St Louis resolutions of the Socialist
party, which advocated opposition to
war and suggested mass resistance"
If necessary. DR.. Nearing said that
he had, with one exception. Due to
the objections of his attorney, Sey-
mour Stedman, he did not say what
the one Exception" was
At this point Dr. Nearing reiterated
his opposition to war, and all means
of carrying it on.
Then you opposed aid to the gov
ernment?" asked Mr. Barnes.
Il do not believe" said Nearing
slowly, that workingman has any
right to fight in a capitalist war"
Then following a discussion between
Mr.. Barnes and the witness as to the
means the latter would employ to OPP
pose war.
Il regard any declaration Of war as
crime against the human race" Dr.
Nearing said, among other things
he Great Madness was then taken
up by Mr. Barnes. and in answer to d
question about the basis for the title
Dr. Nearing quoted a speech made by
President Wilson delivered at Cleve-
land. in which he said madness has
entered everything'
Talking About Europe Then
"He was talking about Europe then
wasn't he?" asked Mr. Barnes.
Yes" said Dr.. Nearing, with a
smile. THAT was before America got
the madness"
Asked to explain what he meant
when he referred to the "malefactors
of great wealth" Nearing explained
that 1t was d take off" from Theo-
core Roosevelt, who used the phrase
az "a playful method of referring to
the plutocrats."
Nearing had expressed the opinion
that the Socialist party was not yet so
powerful that the "capitalist class
feared 1t, and in this connection Mr.
Barnes asked: Then the CAPITALIST
class does not fear the Socialist party %
Not yet" replied Nearing with
Asked for list of conservatives. DR.
Nearing gave the following names az
representative 5f what he understood
by conservative": President Wilson
Theodore Roosevelt, Senator Hiram
Johnson and Senator Borah. Askcc
~ne,her ne seriously regarded Presi-
echt wilson as conservative. DIR
Nearing answered "yes." and aeke,
about Roosevelt. he said he ,ool,e[
l upon him az u TORY and most con.
y soryatiye." O0''
More About Plutocrats
DR. Nearing defined "plutocrot,,
Patriotism rs a brand which !;
patriotically loyal TO impcriahstic de-
signs. and that brand Of patriotiSn
that has the support Of j. P. Norra,
Co.. and the United States Stee
Trust"
controversy as to Daniel Webster
opinion about conscrption followed
Dr.. Nearing said Webster told Con
gress in 1914 that if it passed th
conscription measure it was then con
sidcring he would return to his con
stituentx and advise them to resist II
enforcement.
). Mn Barnes asked Dr. Nearing &
find any place in Webster's spcecl
where he said just that A search
resulted in n passage in the specci
IN which Webster said he would "ox
hort" his constituents 70 oppoge IN,
enforcement Of the act.
Then nc might have meant that J.,
would advise them 10 agitatc for H.
repeal should it be passed ?" supVeste,
Ir. Barnes, but DR.. Nearing main
tanned that the meaning which Webste
meant 70 convey was unnistakabic