New-York tribune., 1922-12-20
Aldermen Veto
Plea to Forbid
FOreignSpeech
Board Indignant at Request
of Allied Patriotic SOcie.
ties for Act TO Ban All
Tongues But English Here
Iiken Idea to CzariSm
Report Predicts "Super.Pa-
iriotic" Petition for Law
Censoring Even Thoughts

The hoard Of Aldermen went on rec
ord for free apeoeh yesterday, whom "
enthuslastlcally voted down n request
from the Allied Patriotic Soc cites. IN
cludlue lu its membership the ram
many Society, FOR an ordinance 70 pro-
hlblt the speaking Of foreign languages
on public streets or squares Ia the
City Of New York. - A.
The resolution proposed By The ~,
iied gocleties was essentially directed
AZ the aoap-box propaganda Of q rcyo-
lutionary and Soviet character, but tne
Aldermen Interpreted 70 In q broader
vein. They INDUCED In indignation
and rldieuie IN discussing the report
az the COMMITTEES on Public Thorough
fares recommending that the requess
be 6led. John r. Voorhis, venerable
grand saehem OK the Tammany so
cioty. afterward denied that Tammany
vas party 20 any such drastic pro,
posal. Mr. Yoorhis said he ala not
reeolleet being present at the inee'.hs
at which the action was taken y Ihe
Allied Patriotic Soeleties.
The Yeport OF tho aidermanie com
mlttee declared that the purpoto OF
the societies was probably intenoeo
N be confined ITO an espionage on pup
40 speaklnR In the streets or squares
OF the city and not the ordinary con
versatlons which take place between
friends and nelghbors while travsrsing
tho highways"
HTt Is llttlo bewildering TO reject,
cha report continued, "that the sort OF
govornment administered By the no
wanoR dynasty. which wetn down Dut
vosteriay IN n welter Of blood ana rev
olution. should be emulatcd to-day by
An orranizntion of patriots living un.
der the Constitution Of tho United
states. the cornerstone OF when IL
free speech and free assembly
Some day this board may receive q
,etltion from some organization OF
super-pntriots asking for law censor,
ing the thoughts OF citizens who READ
wiih amazement and indignation their
estoeric cogitations on the subject OF
governmental regulations OF pubic
speech and public assembly. In this
connection Il may tend 20 nllay tho
fears OF these ccnsorious patriots 20
NOV that way back In 1860, when this
town was known as New Amsterdam
son,e eighteen foreign languages were
snoken on the Island Of Manhattan
Under such an absurd provision OF law
ss the ono herein suggested, Marshal
Foch on his recent visit 20 our shores
would have been prccluded from ad-
dressing tho people Of the city IN any
street or public square"
The communication from the Allied
Patriotic Societies was dated November
Q. from its headquarters at 55 Broad
way. and said the resolution was adopt
ed at a meeting the day before. The
allied societies represented sl1ty-hvo
patriotic societies. with n membership
OF 5000 900 people, the letter said. n
eluded In rs membership, besides the
Tammany Society. are tho American
LeFlon, Bowery Mission. Bronx Coun,
~ Republican Committee, Colonial
Danes OF the State OF New York,
Daughters OF the American Revolution,
Huguenot Society, Military order OF
Foreign Wars, National Security
League. ST. Nicholas Society, So. Pauls
Chapel. Salvation Army Sons Of The
American Revolution and Sulgrave In
s.itute.