Evening star., 1920-02-18
.H|LLQU|T SAYS RUSSIA
LIMITED DEMOCRACY
Chief Counsel for Suspended New
York Assemblymen Defends
Soviet System.

ALBANY, y. Y, February Is (by the
Associated ress).-Morris Hillquit.
socialist leader. and chief counsel for
today in the trial of the five suspended
socialist assemblymen charged with
disloyalty. He resumed defense of
soviet Russia at point where he
stopped at adjournment yesterday.
Hillquit asserted socialists did not
consider the soviet system a despotism.
Instead, he said. Russia now was a
limited democracy" Ninety-five per
cent of the population enjoyed suffrage
based on membership in the working"
class and not on property, he contin-
Eed. adding that suffrage would become
complete when the per cent of "shirk-
erS" came to perform useful work
He compared a soviet to the assem-
bly, and said it was a form of govern
ment which has nothing to do with
politics. as its members may be elected d
from any party. Just noN. he said, the
bolshevist party holds control through
majority, but theoretically this con-
dition may change tomorrow" Fall
ing into disfavor of the bolshevist
party would not affect the soviet form
of government, he said.
The Moscow internationale. to which
the socialist party of America has
pledged its support, now is very
largely an idea" he said.
Are "SOcial Democrats
Socialists i'm the United States are
not bolsheVistS but social democrats
of the MARKHAM school, declared Hill
quit. They favored the bolshevist
party because it's members Were di-
recting this experiment. he said. but
1t was not for American socialists of
a different school to pass judgment
on the bolshevist philosophy.
While the socialist nartv of Amer
ica has decided to be party to re-
modelling of the third internationale.
he said. this stand is not a declaration
in favor of bolshevism or the Moscow
proclamation.
In connection with the war program
of the socialist party, which he helped
to draw up, Hillquit testified he had
bought no liberty bonds, as he would
not voluntarily support the war. He
denied. however. that he had ever ad-
He added that, while opposing decla-
ration of war and seeking its speedy
termination. American socialists had
not tried illegally to obstruct it.
Would Defend America, He Says.
If the bolsheviki ever should attempt
by force to impose the soviet system of
government on the American people
against the will of the majority, Ameri-
can socialists would take their stand
ris Hillquit, first witness for the defense
yesterday.
In connection with the charge that. by
pledging support to the third (Moscow)
internationale. American socialists had
indorsed a campaign of civil war and
violence advocated by Lenin and Trot-
sky, he testified that American social
lists were not ruled by the internationale,
which. he said, never had issued any
''secret" instructions and has Influenced
only moral power.
He said that the internationale never
has adopted a program or platform.
1t is officially styled the Congresses Of
Socialism and Labor" Labor organiza-
tions participate in its deliberations.
with the conspicuous exception of the
American Federation Of Labor.
TT is perfectly safe to assume" he
said, "that there are between thirty and
forty million socialists in Europe. not
including Russia. In Russia, Germany,
Austria and the new republic Of Czecho-
slovakia the governments. including
heads of government and cabinet MEM
bers. are made up entirely or chiefly Of
socialists"