Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-01-17
Moline and East Moline
OWENS! Xix IS
he ARD By BIC
MOLINE CROWD


Z
Edgar Owens, who IL under in-
dictment in Chicago on charge
of violating the Illinois anti-syndi.
calism law, talked for two hours to
: large audience in Turner hall
last night. He boosted that he Is
proud to be . member Of the COM
munist labor party and declared he
will preach its platform - long ~
he enjoys life and liberty. He an
nounced that he is proud Of his
position and will continue to raise
his boy to be a rebel The remain
der of his talk was the usual line
Of anti-capitalistic talk that has
been delivered in Turner hall for
many past years.
Owens pleaded for a defense func
and urged the workingmen to or
ganize and take over the factories.
He satirized Maclay Hoyne. who
directed his arrest, criticised the
newspapers and protested against
present conditions. 1t was an.
nounced that the collection taken
up for the defense fund amounted
to $141.S9.
By raising my boy q rebel"
| Owens declared he means that he
| is teaching him to rebel against
conditions OF today, which. Accord
ing to Owens, give only nine chill
dren in one thousand Agar col
lege education and permits two per
cent of the people to own IS per
cent OF the wealth.
Against Crime.
/ The defense of Owens and Of l.:
X. England, Perry Shipman and
other communist labor party mefi
arrested will be. according to
Owens, the last paragraph in the
platform Of the party. According
to Owens that paragraph says:
The principles Of the communist
party are not to be construed to
mean that we will resort to viO-
lence, crime or terrorism"
!, A summary Of the Owens talk
} follows:
THE communist labor party will
have ticket in the field in Moline
next spring If enough Of us are on,
Of Jail at that time.
"Hoyne did not act against us
until the merchants and bankers
i Of Chicago raised $4,000 fund tt
hire field detectives to manufacture
evidence against u.s..
Against Present Syetem.
I'VE are against the present sys'
TEN and We make no bones abou'
| it.
:, Il am not afraid to look tn,
: world in the face. l have convic
: tions and have the courage to de
) clare them. @
: This whole campaig@ is for tn
| purpose Of prejudicing the mind o
3 the people and make them Willing
! to see the men who are battling
? their cause be crucified.
5 I'VE propose 70 abolish capital
ism and we will shout our program
: from the house tops.
IF the people of this country lis
: ten to the communist labor part,
i there will never be another war.
( Il have been an agitator and
: rebel all my life.
: Stands for Soviet.
THE communist labor part
: stands for the soviet form of gov
eminent that is industrial instea
of territorial representation"
: In his talk Owens incidentally re
! vealed that in November, 1918. h
was indicted on a charge of violat
ing the federal espionage law. H
said he did not hear of the indict
ment until November, 1919. nd y,
: the government "nolle pressed" tn
case and dropped prosecution las
Z month. He declared the charg
: was brought because he proteste
= against "the abrogation of the DC
! litical rights of the railroa
!, workers"
e Chief Ben DeJaeger and Detet
tive Henry Lebbeft attended til
meeting. 1t is stated that reprt
sentatiyes of Maclay Hoyne's offie
a were also in attendance. ]. G. Gil
=. son presided and talked about tn
d constitution of the United State
d and the declaration OF Indepent
n ence.