The Alaska daily empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1912-1926, 1920-05-05
SOCIALISTS TO
HAVE FIRST OF
CONVENTIONS
First National Party Presiden-
tial Convention Will Con-
vene Saturday

NEW YORK, May 5.-The Social
list Party of America will open the
first national political convention
of 1920 when 200 delegates from
various sections of the country as
semble here next Saturday, May 8.
They will continue their delibera-
lions for q week According to par
ty officers nomination of candidates
for President and Vice-President
of the United States and construc-
ton of platform will be the chief
business before the delegates.
Socialists attach particular i'm
portance to this years convention,
because of attacks made on the
party's attitude during the war and
during the investigation in Albany
which led to expulsion of the entire
Socialist delegation of five from
the New York Assembly. Unseating
by the House of Representatives
Victor L. Berger of Wisconsin. con-
victcd of violating the Espionage
Act, also is likely to come up for
discussion.
Representative Socialists also de-
free press and free assemblage, which
party officials assert have been en-
dangered by gag legislation"
passed during the war are certain
to receive attention. The ethics of
application now Of war measures
da1iopod tD provop+ ctrikoC aIo0 ic
scheduled for debate.
A committee of which Morris Hill
quit, once candidate for the New
York mayoralty is chairman, is now
at work drafting recommendations
for the party platform. Adoption
of q new platform is considered of
prime Importance this year, be-
cause of efforts by Federal and
State officials to ally the party with
its Left Wins" Industrial Work
ers of the World, Communists, Boil
shevists and other elementS-which
its leaders assert has been dropped
during the past year or so.
1t is believed that the platform
may make clear the partys attitude
not only toward these "ex-comrades'
but toward the present Russian gov
eminent. During the Socialist trial
at Albany, party leaders make it
plain that while they held SYM
pathetic feeling for Soviet Russia,
because it prevented field for
great Socialist experiment, they did
mr. comedian than cp1upC allied with
the Communist Party, from whose
philosophy they said they differed.
According to present plans, the
party will nominate only two can
didates for National office. Eu-
gene v Debs, now serving term
in Atlanta penitentiary for viola
tion of the Espionage Act, has been
repeatedly advocated for the Presi
dency by prominent party leaders.
At the Socialist investigation of AL
bany, these leaders on the stand
raised the cry of from prison to
White House" asserted that Debs
had been convicted for word and
not deed during the war.
Otto Brandstetter of Chicago, Ma
tional Secretary, will call the dele
gates to order in the auditorium
of the Finnish Workers Education
al Association. Leading Socialists
from Atlantic to Pacific will be
present, including Mr.. Hillquit, who
is now at Saranac Lake; Seymour
Stedman, Chicago lawyer who has
defended many prominent Social
lists caught in the mesh of war leg
islation; Victor l.. Berger, of Mil
waukee. and Mayor Hoan of the
same city.
While most of the sessions will
be held in the Finnish aHll, Madi-
son Square Garden Will be the
scene of a mass meeting Sunday af
ternoon, 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.