New-York tribune., 1919-02-11
jury Interested in Accused
Writer'S Pamphlet, but
Others in Court Yawn
Anti-W ar Views Quoted
Rand School Leaders Are
Questioned as TO Books
Publication and Sale

the American Plutocracy," written by
Scott Nearing, who is on trial in the
United States District Court before
Judge Julius NJ. Mayer for violating
the espionage act, was read yesterday
afternoon by Earl Barnes, the United
States Assistant District Attorney.
Mr.. Barnes read the title slowly
The closest attention was paid by the
Jurors, Judge Mayer. the clerk the
lawyers for the defence and Scott
Nearing, all being supplied with copies.
AS Mr.. Barnes turned the leaf of a
page, all who had copies followed suit.
like pupils in classroom, following
the teacher wonderingly. After an
hour of reading signs of impatence
marked the faces of even Nearing's
sympathizers. The judge paced rest
lcssly back and forth. concealing with
difficulty his lack of interest in Near
ing's Revolutionary" utterances, while
the clerk yawned openly.
Nearing. however, looked interested
to the end, chuckling with merriment
over certain passages.
Anti-War Speeches Read
Some of the more striking passages
IN the pamphlet, which it took Mr.
Barnes almost two hours to read and
which includes extracts from the
speeches of La Toilette and Congress-
man Clyde Tavener. opposing war.
paragraphs from the writings OF John
Reed and similar radical writer's, fol-
low:
THE entrance Of the United States
into the world war was the greatest
victory that the American plutocracv
has won over the American democracy
since the declaration of war with Spain
IN 1898 The American plutocracy
urged the war; shouted for it: de
manded IT; insisted upon it, and finally
got it."
Touching on patriotism Nearing said
The price of flags rose rapidly-the
nag manufacturers took this oppor-
tumty to get their share of the good
Things that were going round!''
Deridlng ''plutocrats," who he said
had been consecrated to the task of
making the world safe for democracy, he
adds: The brigands had turned saints
and We're conducting q camnaign to
raise S10O,000,00O for the Red Grass"
IN tootnote Nearing explains that
mis- campaign was directed bv al. P.
Dawson, one Of the leading members
OF the firm of J. P. Morgan & CO.
Discusses Armed Neutrality
Nearing then discusses EARNED non
trality,' saying: England confscat-
cd cargoes IN violation of international
law. Her mines surk American shins
and destroyed American lives. Being
mistress Of the seas she held up mails
despite American protests. The Ger
man submarines sank American boats
also In violation OF international law
ne protests against England's depre-
cations were feeble; those against Ger
many were uproarious."
Condemns Conscription
Discussing conscription, Nearing de-
ciares that even the newspapers on
posed 1t at first. because they knew
that the people opposed it. but gradual
~ they came to favor it, and then con-
scrlptlon gave "the America plutoc-
facy the beginnings Of big Cheap
The censorship measure comes in for
vehement attack at the hands of
Nearing. who says that it was worse
than the censorship practised in
Russia.
Quoting various "referendums,
carried on by Congressman. especially
Lundeen OF Minnesota Noari9e, eavs
that had the people of America been
asked whether they wanted to enter
the war, great majority would have
answered IN the negative Nearing
insists that the people we're opposed
TO war.
Says People Awakened
Nearing concludes by saying that
tne people have awakened and are pre-
pairing TO make the world safe for
democracy" themselves, for it "is only
a question of time before they dis
cover their real enemies in New York
and NashlngtQn and then the vic
tory OF the American plutocracy viii
be turned into sweeping triumph
for the common people"
The morning session was taken uu
with showing the connection between
the American Socialist Society. which
is also on trial for having printed
Nearing's pamphlet, and Nearing.
Isaac y. Sackin explained under di-
rect examination the workings Of the
society, that it controlled the Rand
School Of Social Science and the Rand
School Book Store. He said that the
school was endowed largely through
the efforts of DR.. George d. Heron
only recently named by President VIII
son to act as delegate in the parley
70 be held with the Bolsheviki at
Princes Island
2 Mr.. Barnes asked Sackin. "What is
Tne Rand School Of Social Science ?"
"A school Of social science an.
swered the witness without hesitating
causing peals of laughter.
Another witness called was George
\. Cohen, a waist manufacturer and q
director Of the American Socialist So
ciety, but this witness, who was chair.
man Of the publication committee OF
the society, was hazy IA to the means
Dy which Nearing's pamphlet was pub
!ished.
Jack g. Karp, manager of the Rane
school BOOK Store, <as called, and he
TOO, seemed hazy about the case. II,
said that 10000 copies of "The Grear
Madness" had been published, Of which
10000 had been sold
Asked by Mr. Barnes when he ha,
hrst heard that the article was bein,
condemned, Karp said that he had frs
heard Of 1t in The New York Tribune
and then when the grand jury tool
action a short time later. Since then
he said. the book has not been sold
The government viii continue its cas,
this morning
Frank furfer. Omit rrxg<, III,