UPTON SINCLAIR'S ARREST

Maoriland Worker, Volume 13, Issue 31, 1 August 1923, Page 7

UPTON SINCLAIR'S ARREST

Free Speech Fight ' ' »T AN ASININE CRIMJLNAL LAW. i ■ By the last American mail there has arrived details of the arrest of the well-known Socialist writer, Upton y Sinclair, who, as stated recently *was arrested in San Pedro, the harbour suburb of lips Angeles, and charged with violation of the Californian criminal syndicalist law. : This law makes, it. a icriminal offence, punishable with one to 14 years' imprisonment, for advocating Violence against the State or capitalist institutions. . *fri addition to Sinclair three other radicals were also arrested, these be ing: Hunter Kimbrough, his brother-in-law, of Pasadena; Prince Hopkins, millionaire, of Santa Barbara, and Hugh : Hardyman, young freelance, jourhalist. When* Sinclair was arrested a strike .of longshoremen was in progress in "San Pedro. Sinclair proceeded to a chosen spot in San Pedro and attempted to make a speech, which was to be a "test".of the right of free speech guaranteed by the United States Constitution. The police had forbidden public speaking on be-,-hal.f of the strikers and Sinclair and a his companions attempted to break the police embargo. When. Sinclair' reached San Pedro, 400 strikers wbre waiting for him and he received an enthusiastic sendoff when taken into custody. "Friends," said Sinclair in opening his* "test," "I did not come here to incite to violence. I came up hero to uphold the right guaranteed by the Constitution'of"the United States. I ara going'to read from that Constitution. '.' I will read from article 1 of the amendments. It says that 'Congress shall Make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the ■ freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.'" Just then- a policeman stepped up and said to the speaker, "You're ,under arrest." "I thank you," said Sinclair. From then on the situation took on something, ol the comic, Each ol Sinclair's associates attempted to make a speech and each in turn got arrested for doing so. "Friends," said one, "I want to read you something from the Declaration of -Independence." But that is as far as he got. "You're under arrest," said a policeman. Prince Hopkins, the Santa Barbara millionaire, who was gaoled during the war because of his pacifist activities, and.als;) a 40,000 dollar fine, I mounted the bench and began: "We did not come here to incite to violence.". Whereupon there : came the same, "You're under arrest." v "I thank you,"; said Hopkins. .:;/.;',.THE'MZZYXIMIT/:'- ■ Then young Hardyman moimted the •bench, and. began; "Friends, this is a very pleasant evening, I think. It will be interesting to see how it will turn out. lam very happy to be here—" . "Are you trying to make a speech?" cut in an officer of the law. yes," answered Hardyman. "You're under arrest," snapped the policeman. 1 A prominent clubwoman of Pasadena, .the garden city near LPs Angeles, thought about joining the free speech advocates, but was prevented, from doing so by the quick move of the police in escorting Sinclair and his associates away to gapl. ■•'. Upton Sinclair declares he will sue* the Los Angeles city officials for wrongful arrest,.and violation of his constitutional rights.. Meanwhile he will have to face the charge of criminal syndicalism. This means that, the taxpayers' money to the tune of about -£10,000 will be wasted by the authorities in trying to send Sinclair to gaol. They will probably not succeed, as Sinclair has money and legal talent back of him. Of course, they would like nothing better than to get rid of Sinclair, who is~ a sore thorn in. the , side of Southern California .capitalist—and the American ruling class generally. The California criminal syndicalist law was "railroaded" through the State Legislature five or six years age so as to give the State powers-that-be v weapon with which to get rid of radicals, it was claimed to have been aimed directly at the 1.W.W., but it has'" been used against Socialists, Communists, Unionists, and I.W.W. members, and probably 50 or more men are either doing "time" or have served sentences for alleged violation of the law. Its object has become so plain that some of the capitalists' papers are even denouncing it, and demanding that it be wiped off the Statute Book. „.