New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-05-02
Socialists to
Air Grievances
I'm Convention
Nominees To Be Picked
and Platform Adopted
at National Party Meeting
Opening Here Saturday
Custer Will Be Topic
Expulsion of Berger and
Attacks OH Their Attitude
in War Issues for Debate

Two hundred delegates are expected
to attend the national convention Of
the Socialist party Of America in this
city next Saturday. The convention
Will last week, and the nomination Of
candidates for President and Vice
President, with the adoption of plat
FORM will be the principal business.
Socialists attach particular impor-
lance to this years convention because
of attacks made on the partys attitude
DUNG the war and in the investigation
in Albany which led to the expulsion
of the Socialist delegation of five from
the Assembly. Unseating by the House
OF Representative Victor L. Berger, of
Wisconsin, convicted of violating the
espionage act. also is likely to oe o;s-
cussed.
Representative Socialists also de-
clare that rights of free speech, free
press and free assemblage, which party
officials assert have been endangered
by gag legislation" passed during the
war, are certain to receive attention.
The ethics of application now of war
measures designed to prevent strikes
also is scheduled for debate
Committee at Work
A committee, of which Morris Hill
quit, once candidate for the New York
mayoralty, is chairman, is at work
drafting recommendations for the plat
form. Adoption of new platform is
considered of prime Importance be-
cause of efforts of Federal and state
officials to ally the party with its left
wing--I. w, w, Communists. Bolshe-
visits and other elements-which its
leaders assert has been dropped dur
ing the last year or so.
1t is believed the platform may make
clear the partys attitude not only
toward these "ex-comrades,' but tow
ard the present Russian government.
During the Social st trial at Albany
they held sympathetic feeling for
Soviet Russia, because it presented a
field for a great social experiment, they
did not consid er themselves allied w tn
the Communist party, from whose phil
osophy they said they differed.
According TO present plans, the party
will nominate only two candidates for
serving a term in Atlanta penitentiary
for violation of the espionage act, has
been repeatedly advocated for the
Presidency by prominent party leaders.
At the Socialist Investigation in Al
bany these leaders on the stand raised
the cry Of from prison to White
House" They asserted Debs had been
convicted for word and not deed during,
the war and compared him to Jesus of
Nazareth
The convention will be limited to 200
delegates apportioned to states in CON
formity with their Socialist member
sh p. Each state will have at least one
dele,:a.e. New York, with twent '-seven
delegates, is said to have far the largest
delegation Pennsylvania, with twenty
one, is said to be second.
Branstatter to Preside
Otto Branstatter, Of Chicago, ma
to order in the auditorium of the Fin
nlsh Workers Educational Association.
Leading Socialists from the Atlantic to
the Pacific will be present, including
Mr.. Hillquit who is now at Saranac
Lake; Seymour Stedman, Chicago law
yer, who has defended many Socialists
caught IN the mesh of war legislation;
Victor l.. Berger, of Milwaukee, and
Mayor Hoan of the same city.
While most of the sessions will be
teld IN the Finnish Hall, Madison
Square Garden will be the scene of
mass meeting Sunday afternoon, May 8.
where Mr.. Hillquit, Mr.. Stedman and
Mayor Hoan are scheduled to speak. A
dinner to convention delegates will be
held Monday night, at which speeches
of campaign significance are expected
to be made
The keynote address will be deliv-
cred by the permanent chairman. His
selection will be the first business be-
fore the delegates, and according to
party officers. whoever he may be, he
will speak uninstructed and without
preOared reron M do