":

"Toledo, Ohio, March 31.--When they were refused admission by city
officials to Memorial Hall, a city building where Eugene V. Debs
was scheduled to speak, 5,000 persons stormed the place, broke
windows and doors, and then paraded the streets crying, 'To hell
with the mayor.' ...

"Announcement that Debs would not be permitted to speak was made
late Saturday night, after the Socialists here had prepared to
handle an overflow crowd. The announcement appeared in the morning
papers, and was the first notice the Socialists had that their
meeting could not be held.

"When the hour for Debs to speak arrived there were at least 6,000
men and women congregated about the William McKinley monument in
Courthouse Park, across the street from Memorial hall.

"A man mounted the base of the monument. 'We'll use Memorial Hall
this afternoon if we have to wade through blood to do it!' he
shouted. A policeman grabbed him and he was thrown unceremoniously
into a patrol wagon. The man who essayed to speak next also was
arrested.

"As the crowd sensed what was occurring the radicals began to hoot
and boo the officers. Clubs were drawn and the crowd was made to
move. Then came the parade through the streets and cries of 'Down
with the mayor!' 'Hang him!' 'To hell with the police!' and others
of a similar nature.

"It was after five o'clock before the police were able to disperse
the crowd. Fist fights by the dozens occurred on corners. Hotel
lobbies were invaded by the malcontents. Street cars were held up
and threats of serious outbreaks were to be heard on every hand....

"More than seventy-five men were arrested, including Thomas Devine,
Socialist member of the city council."

CHAPTER XIV

VIOLENCE, BLOODSHED AND ARMED REBELLION

Every year on May Day the Socialists are in the habit of publishing
articles and making speeches of a more than usual revolutionary
character. They are also fond of parading on that day to incite riot,
and of holding meetings to stir up discontent and to foment rebellion
among the laboring classes. May Day, 1919, was an especially serious one
in several cities of the United States and will long be remembered,
because the Socialist riots occurred while the whole country was excited
over the unsuccessful mailing of bombs to a score or so of eminen