Berserk Republican

Suggested by Michigan's Democratic Senator Prentiss Brown in a Bunker Hill Day speech in Boston last week was a novel method of suppressing industrial warfare: repeal the Constitutional right to bear arms, a privilege guaranteed by the Bill of Rights to every U. S. citizen. While Senator Brown was advancing this notion, a Michigan Representative was invoking this very Constitutional privilege by turning his law office into a recruiting office for a private army.

This militant Congressman was Clare Hoffman of Allegan, an indefatigable 61-year-old Republican who looks like the late Will Rogers. He has been known as a friend of public power, a foe of C.I.O. Somewhat excitable by temperament, Mr. Hoffman by last week was downright jumpy. Though Monroe, Mich., where C.I.O. was beaten fortnight ago when Republic Steel's local plant was reopened after a brisk picket line skirmish, is not in Congressman Hoffman's district, a brief visit there was enough to set him off.

To Monroe's Mayor Mr. Hoffman flashed an offer to "bring a group of peaceably inclined but armed and well-equipped reliable citizens to aid you in defense of your city." This seemed imperative, said the Congressman, in view of the "yellow streak" evidenced by Michigan's Governor Murphy. To his secretary back home he wired: "Have reliable citizens who are willing to go to Monroe . . . leave name, address, telephone number, list of arms, tents, and cots at office. Have Carl [his son] locate 200 rounds twelve-gauge No. 1 chilled [shot] 100 rounds 30-30 automatic." Mr. Hoffman swore he would, if necessary, leave Congress to lead his men himself. "They can sit around here and talk evasions and other nonsense," stormed the berserk Republican, "but I stand for law and order." Much less of a threat to the public peace was a final outburst on the floor of the House. Cried Mr. Hoffman: "By the aid of his Secretary of Labor, who was born only God knows where but whose destination, if the predictions of many be true, is absolutely certain; with the assistance of his traitorous tool Murphy and the aid of the flying squadrons of John L. Lewis, the President has become the master of industry in Michigan and in thousands of other localities throughout the land."

Deterred not the least by an interruption from New York's Caroline O'Day, who pointed out that her good friend Frances Perkins was born near Boston, Mr. Hoffman suggested that it would be well if Madam Perkins "kept her mouth shut." He purported to quote President Roosevelt to the effect that if Communism broke out in the U. S., it would first reveal itself in Detroit, announced that the Russians had already renamed Detroit in honor of John L. Lewis--presumably Lewisgrad.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.