Dr. Herron On His Farm

1901

Denies That He Intends to Found a Socialist Colony at Metuchen.

The publicity lately given to the affairs of the Rev. Dr. George D. Herron and particularly his alleged intention of starting a socialistic colony on the farm at Pumptown, near New Brunswick, N. J., has resulted in bringing hosts of visitors to the Herron place, says the New York Times. There was a small army of them there the other day. Swarms of bicyclists and others who went to take a look at the farm succeeded in changing the rustic quiet of the place into a free for all picnic ground.

Dr. Herron has given out the following letter:

"The reports about our making headquarters for our socialistic work at Metuchen are pure fiction. My wife's mother presented to her a little garden and fruit farm of 25 acres near that place, upon which my aged father and mother, with an invalid sister, are to spend their declining days and where I hope sometimes to escape from the stress and storm of work for a week or two of quiet.

"Our farm has nothing whatever to do with my work as a socialist, and the story of a socialist colony being founded there is without any foundation whatever. I have no designs whatever upon the farm or the good people of Metuchen beyond occasionally helping my father to raise potatoes and ducks and enjoying the luxury of being let alone in peace and quiet."

Two Jobs Well Done

By W. D. Boyce (W. D. Boyce's Talks)

The year 1919 had many problems. The biggest was to get our boys back from across the sea, get them settled in the jobs they held before the war and find other places for men and women who had taken their jobs while they were gone. The next biggest problem was the Red menace. The spirit of unrest developed by war was felt to a moderate degree in this country thru the efforts of the Bolshevists, I. W. W. and Red Socialists to make trouble. The strong arm of Uncle Sam reached out and interfered with these plans to make trouble and we are sending the alien Reds back to their fatherlands as fast as we can get ships and putting the trouble makers who are citizens of the United States, but don't like our Government, in the penitentiaries as rapidly as the courts can act. This element, however, will require constant watching.

It is amusing to see the Bolshevists and I. W. W. bunch point with pride to Soviet Russia, then kick violently when we prepare to send them back there on a free ticket. It is puzzling to the Government to know what to do with this half-crazy, insane, bombastic and dangerous element. I often have thought the best solution of the question would be to take one of the Philippine Islands or some other island we own and control and put the whole bunch — citizens and non-citizens, on it and let them run a Government of their own to suit themselves and at the same time let them feed themselves. Already we are using one of the Philippine group as a place to which we send the Filipinos who are not dangerous criminals, but who insist upon trying to make trouble for the Government. Why not another island for the Reds? They couldn't get off it and no one could get on it.

I doubt whether we have the right to send back to their native lands the aliens who develop Red or Bolshevist streaks after they arrive in this country. They may not have been that kind or held radical beliefs when they came over here, and so why should we send them back later anymore than we would deport an immigrant who came over in perfect physical condition and later developed some disease? Some day we may get into a lot of trouble with some country because we send back their citizens after they have been in the United States for some time.

In the first place we never ought to permit a politically Red or unhealthy man or woman to land in the United States. If we do we ought to be responsible for them ever after if they want to stay here, but at the same time have some place to put them if they try to make trouble for us. So I suggest that one of the 3,000 islands which we own might be used for that purpose. We ought never to let any of these aliens leave their native lands for this country until they have passed an examination and investigation by consular agents or representatives of our Bureau of Immigration. The stop order should be put in before the loss is made.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 6.

Socialist Learns Not To Discuss Politics During War

Indiana, 1917

THIS IS NO TIME TO DISCUSS POLITICS

Thomas McGuire, Socialist, Learned a "Bit" on Friday

When a common purpose wells in every man's breast is no time to argue politics, admits J. T. McGuire, 2017 Walton avenue, carpenter and socialist.

McGuire leaned heavily on the bar of a down town saloon Friday night and boisterously mentioned that the young men who are flocking to the colors in answer to the war call are "dubs, because they don't know what they are going to fight about."

Several citizens attacked the man and Patrolman Brandt arrived just in time to quiet talk about forming a lynching party. McGuire was taken to jail on a charge of intoxication, pleaded guilty to the complaint in police court Saturday morning and was fined $5 and costs. He paid his fine.

"I am through talking politics until this war is over," McGuire told reporters after the court session. "This is no time to start an argument."

Henry Bair, who was also taken on an intoxication charge and who admitted that he attacked McGuire, "for insulting our loyal lads," was released by Judge Kerr.

—The Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, April 7, 1917, p. 18.

Socialist Agitator Tarred and Feathered

Elk City, Okla., April 9. - William Madison Hicks, erstwhile minister and socialist lecturer, whose most recent bid for notoriety, the promotion of "World Peace League," propaganda, won for him an indictment in the United States district court, is hurrying along the road east of Elk City tonight carrying upon his bare back and legs a generous coat of tar and feathers, unless he has braved the dangers of a bath in an open brook or scratched off a part of his burden upon some friendly fence post. His midnight journey of doubtful destination afoot, was undertaken upon the advice of 100 members of the Elk City council of defense who applied the coat of tar and feathers. "Any place outside Beckham County," was the counsel the council members gave him. He didn't wait for further instructions.

Hicks' latest trouble arose from the fact that for the past several days he has been working and talking against the purchase of Third Liberty loan bonds in the Ural neighborhood, a socialist stronghold, ten miles southwest of Elk City. At the instance of members of the council of defense, Hicks was: arrested by local officers and lodged in jail. Rumors of some impending difficulty at 10 o'clock tonight induced the officers to take Hicks from the jail and start with him for Clinton. They had not got far from town when they were overtaken by one-hundred citizens, most of them, it is understood, members of the local council of defense. The officers were gently separated from their prisoner and marched down the road a few rods, while the coat of tar and feathers was being applied. Hicks was released and told to leave the county. The last seen of him he was rapidly walking eastward.

--The Ada Weekly News, Ada, Oklahoma, April 11, 1918, page 1