Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-18
SAYSHE OBTAINED
ANARCHIST IDEAS
IN PUBLIC LIBRARY
Boy "Red'' Declares Real
Menace to U. S. Institutions
Rests on Free Bookshelf.

Rests on Free Bookshelf.
NEW YORK. December 1s.-Thom-
as Buhkanob the seventeen-year-o old
self-confessed schoolboy anarchist
now on Ellis Island awaiting deporta-
ton to Russia as a dangerous alien.
who says he obtained his education"
in radicalism from books obtained at
the New York Public Library. In an
interview with a representative OF the
Associated Press. Indicated that rea'
menace to American institutions rests
upon many a free bookshelf.
Some rich men have unwittingly
aided the spread of revolutionary doc
trines," he said. referring to the mil
lions invested in Libraries all over the
English speaking world. II had no
trouble in obtaining the radical books
desired, printed in Russian. from
the 96th street and Lexington avenue
branch of the New York Public Lii
brary."
The youth, who. shortly after gradu-
ating from a New York public school
became the secretary o. the Union of
Russia Workers Local. an anarchist
organization in Brooklyn. with
membership of $50. discussed with
perfect frankness the causes which
had led him to his impending ban
ishment from the United States
First Step Was Socialists.
The first step. he said. had been So
cialism. a theory favored by some of
the teachers in his school. 1t was not
radical enough. he said. and so he
took up anarchy.
Buhkanob would prove a study for
the psychologist. He is more than
ordinarily intelligent and quick wit
ted. A pair of light blue eyes peer
from beneath Il shock of very light
brown hair, and when he smiles he
shows a fine set of well-kept teeth.
Well dressed and supplied with an
abundance of cigarettes. he expressed
contentment with his lot and hoped
Nijni-Novgorod. in Russia, where, he
said. there were anarchistic COM
muneS.
willing to Make Sacrifice.
The necessity Of leaving his mother
and two sisters. one of whom is a
student in q Brooklyn high school.
and none o. whom share his views,
caused him few regrets he said. be-
cause "one must be willing to sacri-
flee himself for a cause"
The prisoner came to the United
States from Volhynia, in the Ukraine,
or little Russia" with his mother in
, 1912, when ten years old. His father.
a Russian mujik. il dead. For Ave
years he attended a New York public
school. graduating in 1917. He had
been taught the usual branches. in
Guiding a knowledge Of the United
States Constitution. He said he had
no use for governments of any kind,
because they were all dishonest"
Upon leaving school Buhkanob OBJ
tanned employment at what he said
was fair wages. His home life, he
declared. was happy.
Never Very Religious.
"T was working in a machine shop
for $21.60 a week and would have
received good raise" said Buhkanob
laughingly as he discussed his plight.
The boys manner was earnest. al
most eager. to answer questions. His
parents. he said. had been members
Of the Greek Catholic Church. but he
had never heen ~ ITO -
could not understand. he said, If there
were God. why there was 30 much
II slept last night" he went on.
with. . lot. of murderers and rob-
bers. but / am able. to take care Of
myself" Here Buhkanob recounted
perience he had had when he was
chief monitor in school. Five or six
boys attacked him. 81 knocked out
two of them" he chuckied. "and the
others beat It."
Buhkanob said few Of the boys and
he did. Most of them preferred to
spend their leisure time at the movies.
He liked to read history. philosophy,
sociology and economies.
Tolst0y Called . Dreamer.
MY first book Of this kind was one
by Tolstoy, a mild, good man, but q
dreamer; he offered no %
Christianity and that I do not accept.
Then ! read. at other times. Kropot-
kin's Bread and Freedom Bakunin's
God and the State Novimfrsky's
What Is Anarchism? Alexander Berk-
mans Prison Memoirs of an Anarch-
ist' and Max Stirner's The Individual
first desire to help emancipate the
working class by educating it to
realize its own interest. I also read
the works of an Italian anarchist as
well az Emma Goldman's Mother
The boy said he had no sympathy
for bolshevism, because II represented
a form Of government or authority,
for both Of which he protested con-
tempt. He admitted. however. that a
few weeks ago he participated In q
parade Of Russian radicals up 5th
police amid scenes Of wild disorder.
The paraders either refused to take
out or did not possess a necessary po-
lice permit
When told that statistics showed
that more than 183.000.000 Russians
could neither read nor write. BJhka no b
said he wanted to 60 back to Russia,
just the same, Ito help them" He
said he had no use for any govern
ment even though II protected his
life and property. enabled him to earn
q good living and to dwell In peace
and comfort. He said a police or fire
department STRENGTHENING system,
water works. lighting system or any
other public service would be ac-
ceptable to him If they all did not in
volve the exercise Of authority" And
yet Buhkanob was reputed to have
been an orderly boy In school.
E. H. Anderson. director of the New
York public library, in q statement
regarding Buhkanob's charges that he
had obtained anarchistic literature
from one of the library branches, said
he had been unable to find the books
Buhkanob mentioned listed in the
catalogue. Certain works by Kropot-
kin and other similar writer's. he said,
printed in Russian, were undoubtedly
on the shelves. but they were not "in-
cendiary or seditious" and were books
Of high literary value.