The New York herald., 1920-01-22

Mr.. Hillquit was not making a threat
when he said that when you challenge
representative government you welcome an
autocracy, and when you do that the end
is clear, not as a challenge but as a pre-
diction."
The charges presented against the As
semblymen are complete, and sufficient
to answer every purpose for a legislative
inquiry to determine the fitness of the
members. Mr.. Littleton said. answering
the Socialists lawyers. His arraignment
of the Socialist party was the most en-
phatic and complete so far made.
I'VE charge that these five men owe
their allegiance wholly and solely to an
alien and invisible empire known as the
International" Mr.. Littleton said. 'Tt
stands out that they are the citizens not
entirely OF the country which maintains
them. but of this invisible empire which
projects itself as q revolutionary force
into every country, menacing its institu-
tons and threatening its overthrow.
Their allegiance, before they ever entered
upon the Threshold of this chamber was
given to this empire which masquerades
at one time with the softness of parlia-
mentary reform. and which declares itself
in favor Of revolution with force, ascord-
ing to the place and time where it may 80
declare.
1T is to that alien state-people Of alien
races, pledged to the destruction of this
government and its institutions-that the
charges say these men belong. It Is not
a geographical state. 1t cannot be bounded
by the oceans or the seas. It is an invis-
ipie empire, using at one time the pre-
tense OF persuasion and at another time
the threat of force or violence, according
as the law of the country permits it to
DO so, or as 1t may escape the vigilance of
the laws: II does it in churches. it does
It IN public forums. unblushingly does It in
Legislative assemblies; and wherever the
challenge is made it escapes by declaring
that it means the force of the ballot.
Describes "InvisibIe Empire"
That is the alien state to which, before
the five members had ever entered into
this chamber, they had pledged their
fortune and honor and allegiance; and
that alien state is the invisible empire of
revolutionary force thrusting itself into
the bosom of this constitutional Republic
and daring to overthrow this government
That is the programme that is charged 1t
is Bolshevik programme, a wild specula-
ton.
Said Mr.. Stedman:-'May we not ex-
press our sympathy with Russia? May we
not pass resolution in sympathy with the
downtrodden of Russia? That is not what
the charge means and that is not what the
charge says.
Perhaps at a later day in this proceed
ing we shall ascertain the specific pro-
gramme to which they pledged themselves,
the programme of Mr.. Lenine and Mr..
Trotzky. 1t is not that Lenine and Trotzky
are trying to reform Russia or change
Russia. 1t is because Lenine and Trotzky,
acting through these agencies, are pro-
posing the installation of the same kind
Of government in constitutional America
that they have inaugurated in Russia;
and these are the agents and the in
structors, according to the charge, to-
carry out the programme.
This is the proper place, and surely this
is the suitable environment, to remind
you and your associates that ours is gov
of constitutional liberty, a con-
stitutional republic, in the centre Of whose
crown is the jewel of the constitution
Our ideals are the embodiment of the
constitution which these men ought to
have been able to take the oath to support;
not to an alien, invisible empire, having
one corner of it resting in the heart of
Soviet Russia and another corner of i'll
resting upon the shoulders Of the Sparta
cides in Germany.
Urges Question of Disloyalty.
''The question here is. can the Assembly
inquire into whether or not five of its
members are disloyal to the country, have
foresworn themselves and given their al
legiance TO an alien and an invisible en-
pire and placed themselves in the hands
of a master who can withdraw them from
this Assembly when he chooses? Can such
O. deliberatiye body as this make that in
auiry and finding the fact out? Can it
expel that agency from this body before
the poison has contaminated the system?
And yet the challenge is made and the
excuse is made that the declaration in
April, 1917, against this country and call
ing the war criminal, the motive profi-
teering, and calling it war for the
benefit of the capitalist, and calling
upon everybody to resist every agency
of the war by every possible means. and
pledging themselves to thwart the agents
Of the Republic for the preservation of
liberty, still after all that writing it down
as their creed that they dare
get in front Of the ideals of a real repub-
lie and then claim the right to sit un-
lushingly in the councils of that country
and dictate it's laws.
Mr.. Hillquit said yesterday that what
may be treason to-day may be the law
Of the land tomorrow. 1t will be the law
IL you let traitors write the
laws.
Something has been said with reference
to the vagueness of the charge contained
In the resolution about what these mem
bers pledged themselves to do before they
,ame here. The charge says that the con-
State constitution of the Socialist party
IF the State of New York provides:-A
member may be expelled from the party
or may be suspended for a period not
exceeding one year for the following Of
falling or refusing when
elected to public office to abide and carry
,ut such instructions as he may have re-
ceived from the dues paying organization.
DR. as prescribed by the State or national
Defines Socialists Constituency.
'The dues paying member of the organi-
sation' is a simple phrase, easily under
tood They may be aliens, they may not
De. They may be minors. The point of
{ Is that these aliens, who are the dues
paying members of the organizations, thus
'eady and doubtless wiling instruments in
he hands of alien governments. can be
he sole constituency of these five mem
,ers by the limitations OF that provision
n the constitution.
I'm other words, they are the hired
agents of a group of aliens. come to carry
,ut the plans of the higher agents as far
Is they can in the councils of free
government under a constitution which
them to take the oath to sup
bort IL.
Suppose 1t could be proved that mem
,ers in this body had given their obliga-
ion in writing to the bankers Of New York
v, ft,at ,xha N H,,, l. hen, ,,,,o Hfe-