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114 specious pleas of the old line politicians, it must wholly disregard the silly vaporings of the capitalistic press, it must shake itself free from the grasp of religious superstition and the benumbing influence of the Church, and, by its own unaided power, with the red flag of fellowship in the van, march on, as it surely had the power to do, to a splendid and overwhelming victory.

There was a whirlwind of applause. An enthusiastic adherent of the labor leader yelled:

"Go it, Steve! Give it to 'em! Give 'em hell!"

Before the last word was out of his mouth a stalwart Irishman, sitting well to the front of the hall, struggled to his feet and made himself heard.

"I object," he shouted, "to this attack on religion. It ain't nicessary and it ain't dacent. Ye're doin' small favor to the workin'men, Steve Lamar, to be ladin' 'em away from the Church. I'm a laborin' man mesilf, and I know there's nothin' like religion to steady a man an' put heart into 'im, an' give 'im a stomach to fight for what's due 'im from them that's robbin' 'im. Ye're usin' the divil's logic, Steve, to desthroy the poor."

In an instant the hall was in an uproar. A dozen men were on their feet demanding to be heard. It was only by continuous pounding with the heavy gavel that the chairman of the meeting was able to restore order to a sufficient degree to permit Lamar, stung by the Irishman's criticism, to go on with his speech.

"I had concluded my address," he said, when finally he was able to make himself heard, "but, in view of the interruption which has just occurred, I will say one word more. My friend, the objector, is evidently an adherent of a Church that puts a ban on socialism, and stands ready to give absolution on account of all sins, save the sin of making war on capital. Advanced socialism has no room within it for the pious creeds. Listen to what the leaders have declared. Karl Marx said: 'The idea of God must be destroyed!' Engel said: 'The first word of religion is a lie.' Bebel de-