New Britain herald., 1926-03-02
BIMBA FREE ON
 BLASPHEMY COUNT
tContlnued From First Page)

lie communist party over socialism which he had professed previously. Another was; "Why is not tho Lith. uanan flag flown in Brocktou 2" The third was; How can Lithuanians in America best improve their condl- ton" The fourth was "Why don't you go 10 Russia if conditions are so good there"
 The judge pointed out that these questions apparently did not follow from anything said by the defendant in his speech and therefore he termed them all lighting questions"
 The court said that as a net result of these conditions he felt the ora tor had brought himself within the scdition statute but not within that portion of "incitinE" as he had not counsclcd any immediate action for the overthrow of the American gov ornment,
 When Judge King reached the Bimha case some time after the opening Of court, he prcfaced his remarks with lengthy discussion not only of the situation in th" Lithuanian colony of Brockton, but also Of the European situation in general
 There two cases against Mir. Bimba." he said, "are pretty well understood. but possibly I can add q little to say, that the conduct of the attorneys for both sides has been eminently fair,
 Judge Gives Advice
 T want to say bit about the situation among our Lithuanian friends in Brockton They resort too much 10 court for religious and factional disputes The epithets and characterizations which ran through this case are the same as have run through others l have handled. One side will contend that all of the others are communists, socialists and atheists, and the other side will contend that there is unfair dis Crimination and too strict religious bt tllti' l HI6 SFpl Nlitit lllC JIll lllAdlll- ans perhaps are over contentious. I think that it is rather over zealous- ness than intent to use the court etcrnally as q weapon, that brings these cases here. It is probable that in this case it was a factional dis pute, that one society drove out members who formed another. It is possible that the government wit nesses were a little too eager to strike at their enemies"
 "The European situation in gen cral is also of interest in this case" Judge King added. At the end of the world war various buffer states were created between Russia and Germany. Among them were Els thouia, Livonia, Lithuania Poland and CzoChosloVakia. carved out of the Russian empire for the most part. At first intended. perhaps, to prevent Russia and Germany from combining to dominate the world, these buffers were used later to pre- vent the spread of reds over Europe. In Italy, Mussolini apparently check cd them alone with his fascism. In Austria and Hungary the allies were forced to aid.
 In buffer states the supreme council has exercised supervision for this same purpose. As result, the Lithuanian government may have Necn used 10 prevent the spread of bolshc>ism.
 Perhaps politics in Europe as ad ministercd by the supreme council was the cause of the meeting ad dressed by the defendant. It is en- tiroly possible but was not proved that the mere fact that the meeting was called for condemnation of the Lithuanian government meant 10 many in Montcllo that the society which called it was itself bolshevis- lie. Evidently some of the govern ment witnesses were interested in trying to stop it before it began. Failing in this, they may have cher ished the attempt 10 get those re- sponsible for the meeting in another way"
 At the opening of his statement, Judge King rcCitcd the formal charges brought against BImba, but did not quote the statements attrib- u'ed to the Lithuanian editor, which were attached to the charges as bills of particulars furnished 10 the de- feuse by City Prosecutor l. Manuel Rubin. who prosecuted the case.
 State witnesses at the trial testi- fed that Rimha had urged the over throw ot the government, but the lcfcnse rontonded that his remarks concerned only the government of Lrhuania,
 Rimba, in his speech at Lithuan- ian National hall, was charged with the overthrow of the | nitod States government. Witness testified that he had declared Amer 1ol must haze a soviet government like Russia's and that workers of all Na'ionali'ios should organize to at tain that end,
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