Ruthenberg's Trial

A single sentence written by Charles E. Ruthenberg, former Secretary of the Communist Party, now on trial for criminal syndicalism in the state of Michigan, may get him convicted. In an article published in the official organ of the Communist Party (since deceased, with the Workers' Party as its sole heir and beneficiary), Ruthenberg declared that the Communist plans for seizing the Governmental power in the United States " includes the use of armed force." The prosecution is making much of this point, since W. Z. Foster evaded conviction on the plea that he did not advocate force. Ruthenberg's written admission that he does propose bullets instead of ballots to realize the " social revolution" is held to incriminate him beyond escape.