e wrote:

"'Socialists and workingmen should ... have rifles and the
necessary rounds of ammunition ... and be prepared to back up their
ballots with their bullets.'"

In reply, according to the "New York Times" of February 20, 1920,
putting his own far-fetched construction on Victor L. Berger's words,
Morris Hillquit himself advanced the doctrine of "a little shooting" in
the following statement:

"'History ... has shown that when the privileged minority is about
to lose its privileges ... it tries to destroy reform or lawful
revolutionary movements by force, ... and in a case of this kind it
may come to shooting.

"'It is not at all impossible that, even in this country, when the
majority of the people will be ready to introduce substantial
reform and take away the privileges of the profiteering class by
constitutional, legal methods, these self-same profiteering
interests will take offense and try to play some trick upon the
people, and in that case it is possible--as a matter of prophecy,
not as a matter of program, so far as we are concerned--that the
people of this country will be compelled to supplement their
political action by a little shooting.'"

Testifying the same day, Hillquit endorsed Debs as follows, according to
the "New York Times" of February 20, 1920:

"When asked if Debs is a candidate of the Socialist Party for
President, Mr. Hillquit replied:

"'If any voice or influence of mine could accomplish anything, he
certainly will be nominated at the next convention.'

"'The Supreme Court has passed upon the conviction of Debs and
affirmed it,' said ex-Judge Sutherland, of counsel.
'Notwithstanding this judgment, you still declare that Mr. Debs
represents and personifies the attitude of the Socialist Party on
the subject of loyalty to the United States Government?'

"'I do not say that he represents the attitude of the Socialist
Party. I think I said that he represents the highest and noblest
sentiments of United States citizenship and American loyalty....
Debs was convicted only for saying things, not for doing things. I
do not for a moment doubt he said the things he is charged with
having said.' ...

"'Do you uphold and approve of, as a leader of the Socialist Party,
the words that Mr. Debs pronounced, and for which he was