Norwich bulletin., 1919-05-02
LIBERTY DEFENSE MEETING
 IN THE TNWN AAIJ

1 In response to an advertisement in a local paper for a defense of liberty meeting to protest against the impris- onment of Eugene V. Debs ct al (the ct al meaning Thomas Mooney. alleged dynamiter, Rose O'Hare, several draft dodgers and others now serving terms in penitentiaries for violation of the espionage aet)., there was a gathering l in the town hall Thursday night of about 75 of the socialist party. This i gathering comprised mostly those of 1 foreign birth, there being a number of i the Jewish population. Italians, few i English, fewer bona ide Americans,
 and other nationalities not distinguish able. The meeting was presided over l by Albert Boardman. prominent so- | cialist leader of this city.
 ] The speaker of the evening was Miss Mary McVicar, who in her address claimed she had been $ friend of labor ! for 20 years and had also championed |; the cause of the downtrodden working
 man. Miss McVicar's appearance on the platform was the signal for a wild
 outburst of applause. After this had
 subsided. she in deep stentorian tones started in to find fault with every thing that did not teem with social
 ism She criticized the government, the rich. the newspapers. the courts, and everything in general except those !! who are in prison under sentence for 1 dynamiting, distribution of seditious literature, and violations of the espion- age act These she in glowing words of tribute, held up before the assn1e- blaze as martyrs to the great cause of Il socialism. i Her criticisms lasted for nearly an hour and at frequent intervals there
 was half hearted applause and laugh ! ter. During the course of her exhorta- ton she praised the character of Gene i Debs, painting his character as white as snow and clubbing the jury and
 judge that convicted him as brainless
 Gene Debs is behind bars" said Miss T McVicar, and we want our constitu- 4 tional rights and the repeal of the iespionage act which is as necessary as the dismissal of Postmaster General Burleson," Applause and laughter:)
 Fort Leavenworth prison is the Si- beria of America, said Miss McVicar Here prisoners are tortured and two
 Russians have been tortured to death
 for sending out letters. Here young ]. linen are imprisoned because of theil
 righteous beliefs against war. They are tortured. The speaker went on to tel
 of other crimes which she claimed she knew to be so. The Bolshevists were upheld by the speaker and she said that the BolShevistS treated their priS- oners better than the soldiers in oul
 army were treated. Speaking of the IS bombs found ir the New York postofice she said that she would tell the whole world an6
 any secret service man. if there were any in the audience, that she believed
 those bombs were placed there by the New York detectives to get somebody } into trouble. (More applause ant l laughter).
 Talking of organization she said 1T q most tragic tone, Do we want z
 revolution? Yes! But not a bloody one We, of the internationalists. i we organize the working men. car = stop every wheel in the country unti } our demands are granted. (Applause) f Almost in the next breath she came
 fout with the statement we do no r. want revolution, riot or war; we wan
 organization. For over an hour sh' [, went on in this same tone and at thu - conclusion of her talk made an ella s quent speech for money ~.1d a col
 lection was taken up. Also socialis
 literature containing the speech o ' Debs and other such reading Whicl
 she claimed were masterpieces. nj Albert Boardman took the. platform II then and read some resolutions il > which the socialists demanded the re
 peal of the espionage act, right of fre ,. speech and assemblage, immediat . withdrawal of troops from Russia, tn : immediate release of all political, re [ ligious, industrial and other prisoner n incarcerated for their war views. tn : right of every nation to establish it g own form of government without in S reference. These resolutions wer r adopted.
 0 After the adoption of these Miss Me pI Vicar said that she was glad to b - able to go back to New York and tel
 them that the city officials of Nor e wich stood for free speech and ire n assemblage and were broad minded. = In her appeal for money she aske : if the hall had cost the party any t thing and when told no, said that wa l. good SO much more money for tn
 cause.
 The meeting adjourned at 10 O
 clock.