The Washington times., 1938-06-21
The Case of Frank Hague

l. 1lC O(NON O1 Il AAAN 4AO6 w
NOR the benefit of anybody who may have been slightly
Il bewildered in the last couple of weeks at seeing
Mayor Frank Hague of Jersey City get most of the choice
newspaper space most days. vel set down here what the
shouting is all about.
Mayor Hague, boss of Jersey City, has long touted
his place where business is not troubled by labor
unions Last fall the CIO resolved to organize some
unions in Jersey City.
First blood was drawn November 20, 1887, when
CIO handbi distributors grabbed by Jersey City
police and beaten up out of town. There
Jersey City ordinance forbidding handbi distribution,
but Supreme Court decision handed down later in
another made this ordinance unconstitutional.
Since the fracas last November the CIO and allied
sympathetic Communists, Socialists, liberals and free
speech enthusiasts have been needing Hague about
week. sometimes oftener The battle lines were ex-
tended to Newark Saturday evening" June a. when Nor
man Thomas Socialist who doesn't approve of Mr..
Salin got permit and tried to make free-speech in
Military Park and showered with eggs and tomatoes
by mob Thomas charged that these persons were
hoodums sent by Hague from Jersey City break
up the Newark show.
The Hague chapter unfolding has to do with a
lawsuit brought by the CIO and the American Civil Lib
critics Union. These organizations suing in Federal
1T rz Court at Newark for omnibus
AA"90 O''"P0' injunction to forbid Jersey City
NOD TnfOIds officials to deny CIO organizers
their constitutional rights of free
speech, free press and free assembly
The judge in the is Judge William Clark able and
respected uris recently named by the President and the
Senate for promotion to the Third Circuit Court of
Appeals.
Chief counsel for Hagues attackers is Morris Ernst
who last week performed the unusual feat of calling the
defendant Hague as his (Ernsts) Witness and in
effect crossexamning him. It is Hagues testimony that
has been filling much newspaper space
Hague'S testimony has been frank ond foorlor.. no
use denying that He says he is against Communism and
Communists that the CIO leaders are Communists and
SO is Ernst that the majority of Jersey City people don't
want to be bothered by Communist agitators that Com
munsts advocate overthrow of form of
that for these Hague duty mayor is to deny
these troubemakers the rights of free speech press
and assembly Only safe and sane "hghclass citizens
are entitled to those rights according to Hague
the U. S. Constitution makes no such distinction
We have desire to suggest how case in process of
trial ought to be decided. But do want to make
few general remarks liberty it is being highighted
by this case of Frank Hague.
0SCLSL We have long believed, and still believe
Motho1o that American liberty is threatened these
days from two angles-the Communist
uraradcal angle, and the Fascist or
tive angle There civil liberty in Russia than
in Germany Italy. The triumph of either Communism
or Fascsm in country the death of democracy
in that country Americans will be wise to fight both of
these "isms" in their country.
But it does not do to fight Communism with Fascist
methods if you want to preserve democracy. And
Mayor Hague has been using Fascist methods to fight
the radicals in Jersey City, according to his adms
sions. Slogans designed to nflame the people against
Communists; slogans calling all who disagree with Hague
Communists; police nonchalance amounting almost to in
citement to riot when any radical liberal gets up to
make speech-all these things strongly resemble Hit
lers tactics when he building his Nazi power. To
believers in American liberty these things are alarming
Let a Few Heads Roll