Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-09-07

reasons; The interference of the
Board of Supervision is formally jus,
titled by the propositions under discus,
sion. In point of fact it may be re.
marked that the only article of the Con
stltutlon which refers to ''dismiSsals' is
No. I OF the General Regulations" 1t
provides that
IAN officers, boards or commit
tees in the party shall be subject to
withdrawal by general vote of
their electors"
This definition is generally held; no
exception is expressly specified, nor can
such be accepted, in view of the plain
language (taSseag of this rule. Refer
ence is indeed made by the appellants to
paragraph 3, article ,, chapter ",
BOARD of SUPERVISION and the deduc-
ton made that this Board only has the
right to suspend members of the Ma.
tlonal Executive Committee. But then
it expressly says suspend" which indi-
Gates transient or provisional removal,
while dismissal (AbberqtHg) means a
definite withdrawal from an office or
duty. Therefore there is no doubt that
the members of the National Executive
are subject to dismissal. Besides, there
is precedent in this connection (Fa-
bian, New York;.
The question now arises as to who
may dismiss them. The article quoted
says: "by general vote of their electors
(Wahler. The English constitution
says, instead of electors, constituents
which expression the Board of Super
vision considers fairly synonymous
(ziemhch gleichbedemend). The word
trdbStimnung general vote is mani
testify to be interpreted to mean that the
dismissal cannot be done by committees
Central Committees of Sections, etc. J,
but only through the membership of
the Party themselves.
Now, who are the "electors" of the
members of the National Executive
Committee? Here it must be noted
that the Party at its convention decides
upon locality whose party membership
shall elect the members of the National
Executive Committee. The conclusion
is compulsory that the members of the
Party in New York, which locality the
last Party convention designated as the
seat of the National Executive Com
mittee, are the electors of the members
of the same. 1t does not alter the case
that the same are officers of the whole
Party. The Party has simply trans
ferred its powers in this matter to the
party members in New York. SO that
when THESE withdraw the mandates
from those elected, dismiss them Isle
GT1chber1gen), they exercise their con-
stitutional right.
Such a case, however, is not under
consideration. 1t is admitted on all
sides that the dismissal of these four
members was decided upon at a meeting
specially called for the purpose by the
Central Committee of the German Sec.
ton of New York. The German Sec
| ton does not represent the entire mem
bership of New York. 1t is claimed
and not denied that the other Sections
there were called upon, and the attempt
made, respectively, to take a separate
vote. 1t is to be assumed, then, that
an addition of the votes would have fol-
lowed and the result established. But
| the other Sections in New York were
not compelled to obey such command
of the German Section or its agent.
The American Section refused to de-
| bate the question, and for this reason a
decision OF the party membership of
| New York Is not under consideration.
The proportionate strength of the Sec
tons does not affect the case. What
influence the participation of the mem
bers of the American Section may have
had upon the debates and decisions of
| those meetings is not to be calculated.
1t is hardly necessary to further men
ton that the German Section was not
empowered to assume jurisdiction over
three members of the American Section,
as was done in this case. The dismissal
of members of the present National
| Executive Committee is only allowable
| by a majority vote of all members of
the various Sections of New York, SO
far as they take part in a meeting called
| for discussion and action upon a cores
ponding proposition. Such a meeting
cannot be called by single Section.
| There is in New York, as has been es-
tablished, astandlng representative body
of all Sections under the name of "City
Committee" This committee can, by a
majority vote, arrange general meet
| ing in the usual manner for objects such
as those in question, and all Party mem
| bers are in duty bound to subordinate
themselves to its decisions. The one
| sided decision of the German Section
cannot be recognized. All other pro-
cedures in the cast, namely, the cleo
ton of substitutes, are therefore void.
The Board Of Supervision cannot re-
frain from designating the quoted arti-
Gle of the Constitution NO General
Regulations) as misdirected (UerJehlD so
far as it includes the National Executive
| Committee in its general meaning.
Through it the chan 5ing majorities of
the local membership are free TO exer-
| else an influence on the National Execu-
tive Committee, which the Party hardly
| desired. But the definition (BedHlnlllnq)