The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-01-08
FIVE SOCIALIST
AssEMBL YMEN
DENIED SEATS
Held Elected on Platform of
Disloyalty
AN INQUIRY is oRDEREI
Republicans and Democrats Join in
Questioning Their Right of
Membership

Albany, Jan. Immediately after
organizing today the Assembly adopt
ed resolution denying seats in that
body to the five Socialists elected last
fall and providing for an inyestiga-
tion by the Assembly Judiciary Com.
mittee to determine their qualitica-
tions and elig bility for office.
The preamble of the resolution al
leges that these five men are men,
bers of the Socialist party, whose
constitut on requires them to follow
the orders of their party, composed of
Ialiens, alien enemies and minors, and
that this is contrary to the spirit of
the Constitution of the United States
and the State of New York, which as
Assemblymen they swear to uphold.
1t is also reported that there e
papers in the possession of the Lusk
legislative committee that has been
investigating Bolshevism that will
prove connection between the five So
cialists and the Communist party.
Claessens and Solomon. 1t is declared
were lecturers in the Rand School in
New York
The elimination of the Socialists
was an orderly procedure. Speaker
Thaddeus C. Sweet, who had just
completed an address to the Assemb-
ly advocating strong antiradcal laws
including one to evoke the citizen
ship OF the 'parlor reds" summoned
them before the stenoprapher's desk
n u1,rOrfCn
nearly every one and the chamber
was hushed as the speaker read Il
statement to the Socialists which
said:
you are seeking seats in this body
you who have been elected on q
platform that is absolutely inim cal to
the hest interests Of the State of New
York and Of the United States" and
reviewing parts of the plato IN OF the
Socialists and the rules of their par
ty to show that they may be gu ded
by their executive committee which
may be made up in whole or in part
Of alien enemies owing allegiance to
governments or organizations whose
interests may be Numerically oppos
ed to the best interest of the I'm ted
States and of the people OF the State
of New York"
There were cheers and applause
when the speaker concluded and he
was TO ced to rap for order.
Have we no rights as members of
this House?" asked Mr. Claessens.
The speaker said they would have
until the House passed the resolut'o on
which stripped them of their member
ship until the judiciary committee
examines the case.
AS the Social SITS went to their
seats Republican Leader Simon l., Ad
Ter introduced the resolution which
had been drawn at the conference at.
tended by Speaker Sweet, Attorney
Gene al Charles D. Newton, Lieut.
Col Theodore Roosevelt and repre-.
sentative of the Lusk Committee. It
declared. among other things, that
the Socialists through their party had
indorsed the principles of the Com
munlst International now being held
at Moscow, Russia, which information
al is pledged to the forcibe and vio-
lent overthrow of all organized gov
ernments now existing"
On the ro,l call Republican and Dem
ocrats alike voted for the resolution.
except two Democrats, j. F. McLaugh
lin and Evans of The Bronx. Four
of the Socialists voted in the negative
with one, Waldman, not voting. AS
the vtoe of 140 to was announced
the "Assemblymen again broke into
applause.