New-York tribune., 1920-02-26
Sweets Politics
Inspired Custer
Says Thompson
Niagara Senator Declares
Speaker Now Implores
Aid of Party to Save
Himself From Discredit
Attack Goes Undefended
Asserts Trial of Socialists
Unjustified and Suggests
Prosecuting Democrats
From. a stag Correspondent

ALBANY, Feb. 26.--Not q member Of
the Senate rose to defend Speaker
Thaddeus c. Sweet when his motives
in ousting the five Socialist members
Of tho Assembly were impugned by
Senator George f. Thompson, Of Nj
agara, to-day. Thompson charged that
Sweet was inspired by partisan poll
tics, and that he was now 'imploring
the assistance Of his party to protect
him and save him from discredit"
Thompson said that Sweet could with
equal propriety prosecute the Demo
cratic minority Of thirty-fve in the As
sembly for statements made by Presi-
would make great hit "to 90 after
Abraham Lincoln" for saying in his
first inaugural address,:
1.-The country belongs to the people
who lnhabit it, and whenever they
grow weary Of the existing government
they can exercise their constitutional
right of amending it or their revolu-
ttionary right to dismember or over
The Senator from Niagara began his
attack on Speaker Sweet by reading the
statement issued by the Speaker at
tacking him on February 6, when he
n Al
the spotlight"
No Fear Of Socialists
81 must have entirely misunderstood
the proceedings in the Assembly," said
Senator Thompson. "The reference to
the spotlight compels proper respect
for the proceedings. Il should have
known that when Martie McCue called
upon the propertyman to turn the spot
light away from the Hon. Charles f.
Hughes and put it back on Speaker
Sweet that his action was by authority.
81 must confess that l never did sec
the elements Of great statesmanship
nor the courage of real conviction
behind the actions Of the Speaker
which brought on these proceedings.
but ] did believe that his action was
taken advisedly and for partisan mo-
tives. ] did not think that he or any
body else feared the five Socialists in
the Assembly, because l never did give
him credit for courage enough to pro-
ceed in the face Of any real danger or
really intends to use force.
"Therefore l do not believe that the
trial of the Socia)s. party was the
motive. nor the removal of the hve
Socialists the real point to be at
tanned. ] think it was very small for
a man in possession of the great power
Of the Speaker, while imploring the
assistance Of his party to protect him
and save him from discredit, to turn
aside and attempt to minimize and dis
credit conscientious investigation set
and to attempt to give sinister twist
to another investigation set in motion
by a member Of the Democratic party
Time to Drop Politics
81 think, however, the Speaker ought
to drop all partisan politics and give
his entire time to the investigation or
tion that he proceed against all the
revolutionists. 1t would make great
hit to go after Abra ham Lincoln. I'm
fortunately Lincoln is dead, but it is
my opinion that he has more influence
to-day than the whole Socialist party
and could be just as successfully tried
However, there are authorities who
insist that Woodrow Wilson is still
alive and it appears that he wrote a
lished in 1914, wherein he said: we
stand in the presence of revolution.
not a bloody revolution-America is
not given to the spilling of blood--but
silent revolution whereby America
will insist upon recovering in practice
those ideals she has always professed
by securing a government devoted to
the general interest.
"The Hon. Woodrow Wilson, it ap-
pears, has made revolutionary state
ments and circulated the propaganda
in the form of 81 book. He is the head
Of the Democratic party. Not long
ago the chairman Of the Democratic
National Committee came to Albany,
made public speech and said officially
he was proud of Woodrow Wilson.
This commits the entire Democratic
party. Having succeeded with the
party of five in the Assembly, the
Speakers courage could be proved by
proceeding against the next smaller
minority of thirty-tive over there.
Realizing that this minority party
contains several men. OF different
nationality, who would defend their
constitutional rights with much more
physical vigor, think have suggested
enough to keep the Speaker busy for
the remainder of the year"