XXXVI
The first thing I did on Sunday morning was to pick up the "Western
City Times," to see what it had done to Carpenter. I found that he
had achieved the front page, triple column, with streamer head all
the way across the page:
PROPHET IN TOWN, HEALS SICK, RAVES AT RICH AMERICA IS MOBLAND,
ALLEGED IN RED RIOT OF TALK
There followed a half page story about Carpenter's strenuous day in
Western City, beginning with a "Bolshevik stump speech" to a mob of
striking tailors. It appears that the prophet had gone to the Hebrew
quarter of the city, and finding a woman railing at a butcher
because of "alleged extortion," had begun a speech, inciting a mob,
so that the police reserves had to be called out, and a riot was
narrowly averted. From there the prophet had gone to the Labor
Temple, announcing himself to the reporters as "fresh from God,"
with a message to "Mobland," his name for what he prophesied America
would be under his rule. He had then healed a sick boy, the
performance being carefully staged in front of moving picture
cameras. The account of the "Times" did not directly charge that the
performance was a "movie stunt," but it described it in a mocking
way which made it obviously that. The paper mentioned T-S in such a
way as to indicate him as the originator of the scheme, and it had
fun with Mary Magna, pawning her paste jewels. It published the
flash-light picture, and also a picture of Carpenter walking down
the street, trailed by his mob.
In another column was the climax, the "red riot of talk" at Grant
Hall. James, the striking carpenter, had indulged in virulent and
semi-insane abuse of the rich; after which the new prophet had
stirred the mob to worse frenzies. The "Times" quoted sample
sentences, such as: "Do not think that I am come to bring you ease
and comfort; I am come to bring strife and disorder to this world."
I turned to the editorial page, and there was a double-column
leader, made extra impressive by leads. "AN INFAMOUS BLASPHEMY," was
the heading. Perhaps you have a "Times" in your own city; if so, you
will no doubt recognize the standard style:
"For many years this newspaper has been pointing out to the people
of Western City the accumulating evidence that the men who
manipulate the forces of organized labor are Anarchists at heart,
plotting to let loose the torch of red revolution over this fair
land. We have clearly showed their nefarious purpose to overthrow
the Statue of Liberty and set up in its place the Dictatorship of
the Walking Delegate. But, evil as we thought them, we were naive
enough to give them credit for an elemental sense of decency. Even
though they had no respect for the works of man, we thought at least
they would spare the works of God, the most sacred symbols of divine
revelation to suffering humanity. But yesterday there occurred in
this city a performance which for shameless insolence and
blasphemous perversion exceeds anything but the wildest flight of a
devil's imagination, and reveals the bosses of the Labor Trust as
wanton defilers of everything that decent people hold precious and
holy.
"What was the spectacle? A moving picture producer, moved by blind,
and we trust unthinking lust for gain, produces in our midst an
alleged 'prophet,' dressed in a costume elaborately contrived to
imitate and suggest a Sacred Presence which our respect for religion
forbids us to name; he brings this vile, perverted creature forward,
announcing himself to the newspapers as 'fresh from God,' and
mouthing phrases of social greed and jealousy with which for the
past few years the Hun-agents and Hun-lovers in our midst have made
us only too sickenly familiar. This monstrous parody of divine
compassion is escorted to that headquarters of Pro-Germanism and red
revolution, the Labor Temple, and there performs, in the presence of
moving picture cameras, a grotesque parody upon the laying on of
hands and the healing of the sick. The 'Times' presents a photograph
of this incredible infamy. We apologize to our readers for thus
aiding the designs of cunning publicity-seekers, but there is no
other way to make clear to the public the gross affront to decency
which has been perpetrated, and the further affronts which are being
planned. This appears to be a scheme for making a moving picture
'star'; this 'Carpenter'--note the silly pun--is to become the
latest sensation in million dollar movie dolls, and the American
public is to be invited to pay money to witness a story of sacred
things played by a real 'prophet' and worker of 'miracles'!"
"But the worst has yet to be told. The masters of the Labor Trust,
not to be outdone in bidding for unholy notoriety, had the insolence
to invite this blasphemous charlatan to their riot of revolutionary
ranting called a 'protest meeting.' He and other creatures of his
ilk, summoning the forces which are organizing red ruin in our city,
proceed to rave at the police and the courts for denying to mobs of
strikers the right to throw brickbats at honest workers looking for
jobs, and to hold the pistol of the boycott at the heads of
employers who dare to stand for American liberty and democracy! We
have heard much mouthing of class venom and hate in this community,
but never have our ears been affronted by anything so unpardonable
as this disguising of the doctrine of Lenin and Trotsky in the robes
of Christian revelation. This 'prophet fresh from God,' as he styles
himself, is a man of peace and brotherly love--oh, yes, of course!
We know these wolves in sheeps' clothing, these pacifists and lovers
of man with the gold of the Red International in their pockets, and
slavering from their tongues the fine phrases of idealism which
conveniently protect them from the strong hand of the law! We have
seen their bloody work for four years in Russia, and we tell them
that if they expect to prepare the confiscation of property and the
nationalization of women in this country while disguising themselves
in moving picture imitations of religion, they are grossly
underestimating the intelligence of the red-blooded citizens of this
great republic. We shall be much mistaken if the order-loving and
patriotic people of our Christian community do not find a way to
stamp their heel upon this vile viper before its venom shall have
poisoned the air we breathe."
