Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-08
CONV|CTS
FOR LEADERS
Radical Socialists Sing
"Red" Songs as They
Assemble.
DEBS CERTAIN TO
BE THEIR CANDIDATE
Mrs. Kate Richard o'Hare, Also Do
ing Time in Federal Prison, Being
Considered For Vice President
Two Hundred Delegates Attend
Opening Session Of National Con-
vention in New York City.
By Associated Press.

By Associated Press.
New York, May s.-The socialist
party of America opened its 1920 ma
tional convention here today with the
singing Of the Internationale, the
Marseilles and the Hymn of Free
Russia.
Otto Branstetter, of Chicago. ma
ttonal executive secretary. then
called the convention to order. Two
hundred delegates with a number Of
fraternal delegates from sympathetic
sembled in the Finnish Workers Ed
ucational Association hall.
Formulation of the party platform
will be begun next week. The nom
nations for president and vice pres
ident, it is expected. will not be made
until near the close Of the conven-
ton, but it is virtually the unani-
nous opinion Of party leaders that
Eugene V. Debs, now serving a ten
year term in the federal prison at
Atlanta, Ca. for violation of the es-
plonage act, will head the ticket.
Among those mentioned for the
vice presidency are Seymour Sted-
man. of Chicago. general counsel of
the party; Scott Nearing, formerly
professor of economics at the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania, and Mrs.
Kate Richard O'Hare. Of Kansas
City. now serving term for viola
tion of the espionage act In the feo-
eral prison at Jefferson City, Mo.
Wilson Severely Attacked.
An attack on the administration Of
President Wilson and prediction
that the socialist party would poll
more than 100000 votes in the COM
ing campaign were made today by
Mqrrus Hiilquist, temporary CHAIR
man OF the convention. He snid the
party would survive the ferocious
attack unparalleled in lawlessness"
made upon It by "all the powers Of
darkness and untruth in the coun-
try"
He declared that the last three
years had furnished the most strik-
ing and abhorrent proof of the fall
lacy Of the good man, theory in
politics.
Socialists Elected Wilson.
If there remained any large Sec
tions of workers who put their trust
in old party 'Messiahs;;" he said,
Woodrow Wilson must have effec-
lively destroyed their naive faith.
For be 1t remembered that in 1915
Woodrow Wilson ran as radical"
He promised socialism thru the short
cut Of the democratic party, and
thousands of radicals voted for him
rather than throw away their votes
on the hopeless candidates of the
socialist party.
"One- half of the normal supporters
of the socialist ticket cast their votes
for him. Woodrow Wilson was elect
ed over Charles e. Hughes by the
votes Of socialists. In California the
detection in the normal socialist vote
determined his victory in the con-
test.
Betrayed BY Wilson.
Mr.. Wilson's administration in the
last three years has furnished the
most striking and abhorrent proof Of
the fallacy Of the good man. theory
in politics, Wilson, the pacifist, drew
Us into the most frightful contest the
world has ever known. Wilson the
anti -militarist, drew us into the war,
urged conscription and a large stand
ing army, q strong navy and univer-
sal training. Wilson, the democrat,
gathered unto himself the most au-
tocratic powers ever held in a repub-
lican form Of government. Wilson,
the liberal. revived the medieval in
stitution Of the inquisition Of speech
and thought. His administration sup
pressed radical publications raided
homes and meeting places of its poll
itical opponents. destroyed property
and assaulted their persons. Wilson
the apostle of the new freedom, in
tested the country with stool pigeons
and spies and filled the jails with
political prisoners. Wilson, the cham
pion of labor, restored involuntary
servitude in the mines and the rail-
roads and answered the demands of
the workers by falling their leaders.
Wilson the idealist and humanitarian,
has inaugurated reign Of moral ter
rorism and political reation the like
of which this country had never
known. The morbid national psy-
Geological policy has produced
such types as Palmer, Burleson,
sweet and Lusk. It has advanced to
places of honor political mounte-
banks like Ole Hanson. but has put
Into prison stripes the noblest and
truest types of American manhood
and persons like Eugene v. Debs
and many Of his less conspicuous
fellow prisoners. The pitiful collapse
of Wilson was not accidental.
Takes Rap at Gompers.
woodrow Wilson was probably
inspired. by the best of intentions
when he ran for reelection but he
did not voice the sentiments of the
party to which he owed allegiance.
when the great crisis came he
was forced to choose between the
people and the party to which he
belonged and the workers for whom
he professed great love. He rail-
lied to the party interests. Nor was