Brothers, Russian-born laborers at the Lackawanna Steel Co., are arrested and jailed for handing out Socialist Party recruitment cards on the corner of William and Pratt in Buffalo, New York.

‘Comrades are Pinched for Handing Out Cards’ from Buffalo Socialist. Vol. 1 No. 6. July 13, 1912.

Distributing Socialist Literature is “Disorderly Conduct”, “Street Loafing” and “Resisting an Officer”–Unless Somebody will “Vouch” for you, Fines May Then be Remitted, Off-Hand.

Comrades Morris Drosin and Harry Drosin, 414 Spring Street were arrested Sunday evening at the corner of William and Pratt Streets. These comrades, a little more zealous in distributing Socialist literature than the watchdogs of the capitalists approve, were passing out Socialist cards.

Patrolman Kuhn, seeing them in action, approached and told them to move on.” Then he caught sight of the cards, and visions of promotion seeped through his dome. Grabbing Morris by the arm he shouted, “You are the fellow I’ve been wanting to get. And I’ll get the whole bunch yet.”

It is not apparent just what authority the officious copper has for wanting to “get” the 900 members of the Socialist party, but, presumably he has orders to “get” anybody who is trying to enlighten the working class.

The two comrades walked peaceably to the station and notified Comrade Miller, who came to their rescue. Putting up the $100 apiece demanded as bail, he freed the two comrades. On Monday morning they appeared before Judge Keeler, far-famed as a jail-filler.

The boys did not secure a lawyer. The working class experience with lawyers is not conducive to confidence in that particular branch of the exploiting class. So they elected to defend themselves as best they might.

Glaring at the two “prisoners,” Judge Keeler demanded to know if they were not satisfied with this country. The reply came very promptly in the negative. Just as though any workingman with brains in his head instead of sweetbreads could possibly be satisfied with a country dominated by the bloodhounds of the capitalists, with its 5,500,000 unemployed, its million tramps and a score of similar “great American institutions.”

“You’re fined $25 apiece,” declared the judge, who is perfectly satisfied with the country as it stands and thinks it is a criminal offense to be otherwise than content.

Being working boys and unfamiliar with court procedure, the boys were not aware that they had any rights which even courts are supposed to respect. However, Comrade Miller was not content to permit them to sweat in jail if it could be prevented. He called up Socialist headquarters and Comrade S.J. Mahoney hurried to the Municipal building where the boys were confined. An attorney accompanied him.

Their demand for an interview with Comrade Drosin was met with a court refusal on the ground that permit from Judge Keeler would be necessary.

After waiting an hour, Mahoney and the attorney were ushered into Judge into Keeler’s office.

The request for a permit to see the victims was met with the rather surprising statement, “If you will vouch for these prisoners, I will remit the fine and release them.” Presumably, if the two comrades had not had friends to “vouch” for them, they would be languishing in the pen at the present time. To just what extent a man, if a criminal at all, ceases to be one when he gets somebody to “vouch” for him, is not very clear: Upon learning that these condemned “criminals” were not friendless foreigners, but that somebody was interested to know the why and the wherefore of their incarceration, he, in the majestic exercise of sovereign clemency, and of his own motion, revoked, set aside, cancelled, wiped out and annihilated the sentence and order, and at the same time very solicitously made explanation that these two comrades had not been convicted and sentenced because of their being Socialists. This explanation, however, like most explanations, does not explain.

“These men were not fined because they were Socialists,” explained the judge, and I want to assure you that Socialists will get the same treatment as anyone else.”

Comrade Mohoney’s “vouching” did not include a statement that the two comrades would cease agitation for Socialism, even though the judge thinly veiled a threat to give them the limit if arrested again. The fact that the two comrades had committed absolutely no crime and that they were in no way responsible for the policeman’s officiousness in arresting them probably did not occur to the judge. In fines they are to be “give the limit” if the cop gets another fool notion under his helmet and arrests them again!

The array of charges against the two boys is a weird and interesting galaxy: “disorderly conduct,” “street-loafing,” and “resisting an officer,” not one of which could be proved.

The Buffalo Socialist was a weekly published in Buffalo New York by the Buffalo Socialist Publishing Company from 1911-1915 and aligned with the Socialist Party of America. Edited by Max Sherover, the company also produced a weekly women’s newspaper, New Age, from 1915.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/buffalo-socialist/v1n06-jul-13-1912-Buf-Soc.pdf