The New York herald., 1920-01-19
RABBI WISE SEES
PERIL IN ACTION OF
STATE ASSEMBLY
Declares Examination of So
cialists' Opinions Would BE
lntolerable InquiSition..

Rabbi Stephen s. wise yesterday At
added his voice to those who are opposed
to the action of the Assembly when he
declared that the right to he Socialist
is not the underlying question at Albany,
but that the right to think is what is be-
ing challenged by the majority in the
lower house.
THE one hopeful thing about the recent
incident is the instant response that was
evoked by the horrible and humilsting ng
thing that was done" DR. Wise said.
Happily for all OF us. it was not done
subtly and insidiously but in such Grass
and brutal form as to be understood even
by simple folk, who have become con-
brought upon intelligent and generous
people. 1t is good that the thing has
broken out in this way and in other al
most equally offensive ways, because
now people can see and understand what
is before them unless this monstrous
tendency is checked
Dr. Wise said that he thought the
Socialist members who have been sus-
pended ought to stand resolutely against
ions and views. America has not yet
Instituted system of inouisition and
these men ought not for a moment to
suffer themselves to be put upon the
rack" he said Theirs ought 30 be the
position:-'We are no more under the
n necessity OF iustifying our political views
than are our accusers.
Mr. Wise said the action Of the Assem-
bly, Is a threat of Prussisnism in the
United states He said that the action
of Speaker Sweet and his associates is
la wIessness in the cuise Of law: II is dis
order in the putative interest OF order; II
is anarchy in the auasi-defence Of democ-
racy."
There is great deal or earnest and
even bitter discussion in Fifth avenue
clubs and other places Of dubious moral
status" DR. Wise continued. about the
infrin cement Of freedom involved in the
prohibition law. Cannot men who are
s,,ppo-ed to think rouse themselves over
tn. denial OF a right which is even more
funda mental than the right to drink
the right to think-the right to
freedom of thought and freedom OF utter
ance as long as these arc not in conflict
with the law"
THE thing that 7 find infinitely griev-
ous is that ours is ceasing to be a gov-
ernment OF Law and order" DR.. Wise said.
ours In becoming a government Of men
and hysteria, OF panic and prejudices.
Perhaps worst Of all is the substitution
of the possibilities Of partisan advantage
for inflexible adherence to the certitudes
Of order and Justice"
In closing DR. Wise said The thin rs
v hich are being denied the Amer
lean people day bv dsy are freedom OF
opinion. speech, press and ASSEMBLY
These things We must regain to keep our
self-respect a. a free people. At present
We are not only supu-essing freedom but
also the truth which can come about
only through the freest Interchange of
opinion. We are suppressing what is
most needed in America at the present
honesty, unafraid thinking.
In doing this we are undermining the
very fundamentals OF liberty and OF truth
The principle OF intellectual coercion Is
always bad. for II not only stiles free
dom but makes impossible the spirit Of
truth among "A people"