The Washington times., 1924-08-26
(JNEXCITING
SESSION
HELD
Ben GitIoW Speaks, But
Fails to Wave the
Red Flag

Barred from Pythian Temple at
the last minute because of the
fear of the management that dis
order might result, Communists Of
Washington and the surrounding
territory gathered last night. in a
dingy, stuffy second-story hall on
Seventh street northwest and
opened their campaign in this
sector for the establishment of
the Soviet form of government in
this country by peaceable means.
Cool Reception.
It was an inhospitable reception
that the National Capital accorded
Ren Gitlow, of New York, vice
presidential candidate of the Com
nunist Workers party, who. after
serving three years of a ten'year
penitentiary sentence for his Com
munistic ideas, is out on bond pend
ing an appeal and is now under in
dictment on two similar charges.
Gitlow was the guest of honor, Sc
lected to open the local drive.
The Communist gathering had
been advertised widely and Pythian
Temple had been rented for the
occasion. But yesterday someone
showed W. A.. Wilding, superin-
tendent of the temple, some of the
literature that the Communists are
circulating and Mr.. Wilding was
Mortified. He saw the word "revolu-
tionary" and his heart grew sick.
He had visions of bomb-throwing
and riot calls, and that wouldn't
do for his hall. So when the Com.
n1unists began to gather last night
70 hear Ben do his stuff, Mr.. Wild
ing barred the doors and told them
they would have to find some other
rendezvous-he wasn't going to take
any chances.
The Communists then tramped
through the misty evening to their
own meeting hall--a room on the
second floor of 1887 Seventh street,
reached by a dark, narrow stair
way. Scouts were left at Pythian
Temple to shunt late corners over
90 the second-choice hall.
Marshal Denies Report.
The Communists charge that
the person who tipped off Mr.. Wild
ing and warned him that it would
Be inadvisable to permit the meet
ing in his hall was connected with
the United States marshaPs office,
but Edgar c. Snyder, the marshal.
denied today that his office had
taken any action. at all. Mr.. Wild.
ing would not say who 1t was. But
be that as it may, Gitlow gave "the
Republican marshal" good pam
ming for interfering with the Con-
stitutional right of rival political
party to assemble peaceably."
"Comrade" Lemin, mild.mannered
young man in a Palm Beach suit,
whose chief claim to fame seems
to be that he attended one of the
meetings of the Russian Interna-
tionale, and helped bury John Reed,
noted radical and journalist, under
the Kremlin wall in Moscow's red
square, presided. He announced
that the Workers party believes
the Soviet form of government
should be established in this coun-
try, but that efforts in this di-
rection would be conducted In &C.
cordance with the Constitution of
the United States and the election
laws of the country. The fight
would be made at the polls, and
not through instruction.
Some Flappers Present.
The little hall was crowded, with
many standing in the rear and in
the hallway at the head Of the
stairs. There was a good sprlnkling
OF young women, some of the
"flapper" type, and none Of them
looked any more radical than the
average F street girl. One. seated
on q long wooden bench without q
fcantinuad On Paea 4 coiuuan n