ANARCHY IN AMERICA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17032, 4 May 1923, Page 9

ANARCHY IN AMERICA.

A CONVICTION GAINED. By Teleg: aph—Press Association—Copyright Australian aud N.Z. Cable Association. NEW YORK, May 2. At St Joseph, Michigan. Charles Rwtbeuberg was found guilty of criminal anarchy. Ruthenberg was charged with a similar offence with William Foster, in whose case the jury arrived at a deadlock. It i* believed that. Foster will be re-tried, the State telieving that it call secure a conviction Ruthenberg will be sentenced <n June 4.

A message published early last month stated: A telegram i ron, St Joseph, Michigan, states that one of the most unusual trials c\er held in the United States ended hopelessly in a deadlock, the jury being six against six. when Ihe State of Michigan attempted to secure the conviction of William Foster for a- violation of the State law making criminal anarchy a felony punishable by te i years’ imprisonment. Foster was one of the thirty-two alleged members of the Communist Party in America. He was arrested more than a year ago during a secret conclave at which the prosecuting counsel averred plans were formulated under the direction of the Russian Soviet for a proletariat revolution in America. Foster’s trial lasted two months. There was much sensational evidence purporting to show the machinations of the Communists in America and the Soviet’s furtherance of insidious propaganda. .The defence, which did not deny Communist principles, declared that no violence had been advocated, and declared that the law wae a violation of the constitution! right of free speech. The jury was discharged, and the Judge ordered Ruthenberg. another of the arrested men, to lie tried on April 36.