New-York tribune., 1920-03-04
Hillquit W arms
OF Recoil From
Socialist Trial
Tells Assembly in Summing
Up for Defense That Dam
gerous Precedent Would
Be Set in Unseating s Me1i
Speaks for Eight Hours
Outlines Seven ChargesMade
by State and Declares
None Has Been Sustained
From q gtat Correspondent


ALBANY, March BIN 4 speech
that lasted from 1880 o'clock this
morning Until little after $3.50 o'clock
tonight Morris Hillquit answered
seven Of the eight charges brought
against tho Ave ousted Socialist AS
semblymen, leaving tho eighth charge
to be dealt with by Seymour stedman.
Hillquit's speech, conceded by his
opponents to be rnasterful summary
Of the testimony adduced in behalf Of
the defendants during the seven weeks
Of trial, was uninterrupted save for
the usual luncheon adjournment and
two recesses in tho afternoon, when
the judges, jurors, counsel and specta-
tors let their worries vanish, tempo
rarily at least, with the smoke Of
cigars and cigarettes.
- Hillquit began by reading from
Speaker Sweets custer resolution,
whose language he declared limited
the scope of the Judiciary Committees
investigation to tho determination Of
the qualifications and eligibilities Of
the five Socialists to hold their seats.
He ended by warning the Assembly
would set precedent which, as Father
John A. Ryan, of the Catholic Univer-
sity, feared, would result in Catholics
being ousted because, to quote the
priest, "a bigoted majority in state,
say in Georgia, may use the action as
q precedent to keep. out Of that body
regularly elected members who belong
to the Catholic Church."
Then Hillquit dramatically ex-
claimed:
There are certain bounds, there are
of partisan controversy should be re-
spected, and this is one Of them. Be-
ware Of this charge Of International
ism and foreign domination. It may
lead you to II point that it will recoil
against those who are making these
charges against US.
Remember also that at tirno when
our Administration is strainins every
nerve to bring about what it is pleased
to call a league Of nations, an interna-
t!onal organization in which the entire
country ls to become part, it is some
what too late to charge it up against
US as crime that VIC are interna-
tional
III you speak Of che dictaton of for
eign powers upon citizens Of this coun-
try, If you speak Of international!sm
in tones Of reproof and abhorrence, let
me remind you that it Is not only the
industrial labor industries that are in
ternational, but also religion and also
the church, and that very notable ex-
ample of 1t is the Catholic Church,
which is definite international or
ganization, actually claiming authority
spiritual authority, at any rate-over
it's members in ali countries of tho
world. and actually having a supreme
pontiR to direct the spiritual policy all
over the world"
Outlines Eight Charges
Hillquit at the outset outlined EIGHT
charges which had crept into the case,
as it progressed, some being made in
the statement read at the outset of
the trial by Chairman Lewis NJ. Mar
tin and others incorporated in the
brief made public by the counsel for
the committee at the end OF its case.
The charges, summarized, follow:
First-That the Socialist party is a
revolutionary organization.
Second-That it seeks TO attain its
ends by means Of violence.
Third-That It does not sincerely be-
lieve in political action, and that its
politics is only q blind, or camoufage.
Fourth-That it is unpatriotic and
disloyal.
Fifth-That it unduly controls pub
lie officials elected on it's ticket.
Sixth-That is owes allegiance 70 a
foreign power, known as the Inter-
rationale.
seventh--That it approves of tho
Soviet government OF Russia and seeks
to introduce a similar regime in the
United States.
Eighth--That the Assemblymen per-
sonally opposed prosecution Of the war
and gave aid and comfort to the enemy.
The first seven charges he dealt
with in numerical order. He answered
each at length, quoting from the testi-
mony and records presented to prove
ms sweeping statement that all were
unfounded.