The New York herald., 1920-01-11
SENATE PASSES
SED|T|ON BILL
by A BIG VOTE
Amends 1t to Protect News
papers from Arbitrary Ex-
cluSion from Mails.
BORAH ATTACKS BAN
ON N. Y. SOCIALISTS
Declares Action of Assembly Is ar
Invitation to Violence and
Lawlessness.
Herald Bureau.
No. 1,5O2 III Street, n. W..
WrehtngtOn. ID. C.. Saturday.

No. 1,5O2 III Street, N. w,
Washington, ID. c., Saturday.
Sweeping legislation for the punishment
of persons guilty Of sedition was passed
by the Senate today by an overwhelming
majority. The principal objection made ir
the Senate to the bill was removed wher
an amendment was adopted, proposed BY
Senator Borah, Republican, of Idaho
which protected newspapers and other pub
locations from arbitrary exclusion from the
mails by the Postmaster General
A severe criticism by Senator Borah o.
the New York Assembly for barring fiv;
socialists from membership in the Assem-
bly, was feature of the debate.
| Early action in the House is expected
to follow the passage of the bill in th'
Senate. The Judiciary Committee had bat
a separate bill under consideration fo
several days, and it probably will be re
ported and passed next week, after whicl
differences between the two measures vii
be ironed out in conference.
/ sIri his criticism of the New York Assem-
| bly, Senator Borah said:-
"A few days ago one of the most re
marSable things, / think, in the history o
American politics took place in the Legis
i lature of New York, where five men wer
excluded fl ON taking tie oath.
without Charge or Notice.
"They were called before the Speaker:
chair, but, without any previous charge
or any previous notification of incapacitN
to serve as legislators of that State, they
were told as follows:-
| You are seeking seats in this body
| You have been elected on a platform tina
is absolutely inimical to the interests O.
the State of New York and the United
! States
l "The Republicans could exclude every
Democrat and Democrats could exclude
every Republican at every opening o.
Congress upon any such proposition If th'
Vice President should call before him {
man who had been elected and say t
/ him Your views are inimical to what
| consider the best interests of the United
States and the state from which you come.
The Vice President would have just a!
much right to say that to that man a.
1 the Speaker of the Legislature of New
York had the right to say It to thos
Socialists. If you deny men the right t
effectuate their purposes and their plans
! through the ballot box you invite them 4
I violence and lawlessness in order to eff
| fectuate their plans"
Senator Sterling Interrupted to say tina
exclusion of tn. Socialists from the New
York Legislature did not meet with hi
| approval
at would not meet with the approva
of any man who had any regard for Law
and order" said Senator Borah, for th
most lawless man is the man who, having
| taken his oath to support the laws ant
i constitution of the country. violates them
Ignorant men walking upon the street
may with some excuse entertain the ide;
N.Irl tI..l l... t.Ntsx l. II
own hands, but there should be nothing
but the utmost contempt for men VIII
have risen to the position of responsibiit,
\ and then take the law into their owl
hands and deny the people the right {
effectuate their desires through the ballo
box"
Forces IawIessness.
Senator Borah read the reports OF tn
proceedings at Albany when the five so
cialists were excluded.
"The men are called for judgment" sal
the Senator, "befoi any charges are mad
against them or any reason assigned {
the men themselves. They are exclude
from the privileges and rights of the AS
sembly to which they have been electe
until men shall Judge whether or not the
are qualified. Not a single objection
known to the constition of the State o
New York is stated, not a political inca
pacity to serve as a legislator, but oni
the opinions OF the men who stood ther
we're adverse, and a majority exclude
4 them. In my humble judgment, tha
forces lawlessness and revolution in thi
country.
1T is the most dangerous thing mag
Unable to fly i'm the face Of the funda
mental principle Of representative goy
ernment and to exclude men from repre-
sentation in legislative bodies because O
political opinions. Here are five socialist
in a body of one hundred or perhaps tw
hundred members. and they are exclude
from that body upon what possible theor
/ do not know, except that their view
would be dangerous. I think it a re
markable expression OF wisdom that Pres
ident Wilson once stated that when a MAJ
T held erroneous views upon politics or re
/, ligion the thing to do was not to crusl
) him, but to rent him a public hall and lie
! him discuss those views and the America,
, people would take care of the matter.
!, T am not believer in socialism. I thin
) IL it were adopted i'm this country the me,
: who are urging it would be Just as auicl
: TO dread its effects as those who are nov
opposed to it. but there is no way b,
'tgAel ment and spread tn
'UfcuiNo0 aer peialism or OF sovictisn
= .-tlt.ttH an o. ne Fhrcr Coi onsl