The foremost publisher of Marx in the English language and editor of International Socialist Review is called to jury duty on a case against union leaders. The state declines his services.

‘Almost Land a Socialist Juror’ from the Chicago Daily Socialist. Vol. 1 No. 29. November 24, 1906.

Publisher Kerr Summoned to Try Labor Leaders for Conspiracy.

The monotony of the weary grind in the Shea case was relieved for a short time yesterday.

Charle H. Kerr, president of the well-known Socialist publishing company, was summoned for jury service. He was examined by Attorney Cruise for the defense, and tendered to the state.

For a time Assistant States Attorney Holt could find no legal flaw in Mr. Kerr’s qualifications as a juror.

He passed him for a time and questioned other prospective jurors.

The state detective force got busy securing information about Mr. Kerr. Nothing that could disqualify him could be found, except that he was a Socialist and speaks three or four languages.

It began to look as though the state would either have to use another peremptory challenge or accept a Socialist on the jury.

Returns to Mr. Kerr.

After a lapse of considerable time, States Attorney Holt returned to the publisher and put him over the “jumps” again.

The first one was:

“If you were my place as state’s attorney and had to try these men charged with conspiracy and wished to give them an impartial trial would you like to go before a jury of men looking at the matter as you do?

“If I wanted to give them an impartial trial, yes.”

Something in the twinkle of Mr. Kerr’s eyes and the emphasis he placed on the word “impartial” caused most everyone in the court room to smile.

If Mr. Kerr had bluntly told Mr. Holt it was not an impartial jury he wanted, his meaning could not have been plainer.

Had Some Fun.

By this time Mr. Kerr had about all the fun he wanted. Mr. Holt fired this question at him:

“Would you, if accepted as a juror in this case, render a verdict according to the law and the evidence, even though you believed the law was unjust?”

To this question came the answer which brought forth the familiar court phrase “challenge for cause.”

Mr. Kerr had answered “No, I would not.”

“Step down, please,” came sadly from Judge Ball.

Mr. Holt breathed easier, he had saved a peremptory.

As Mr. Kerr left the court room all eyes followed him until the door closed behind him.

He was the 4473d man examined.

The Chicago Socialist, sometimes daily sometimes weekly, was published from 1902 until 1912 as the paper of the Chicago Socialist Party. The roots of the paper lie with Workers Call, published from 1899 as a Socialist Labor Party publication, becoming a voice of the Springfield Social Democratic Party after splitting with De Leon in July, 1901. It became the Chicago Socialist Party paper with the SDP’s adherence and changed its name to the Chicago Socialist in March, 1902. In 1906 it became a daily and published until 1912 by Local Cook County of the Socialist Party and was edited by A.M. Simons if the International Socialist Review. A cornucopia of historical information on the Chicago workers movements lies within its pages.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/chicago-daily-socialist/1906/061124-chicagodailysocialist-v01n029.pdf