The New York herald., 1920-01-30
Republicans Believe Move to
Discharge Judiciary Commit
tee Will Come Soon.
PARTY'S PLATFORM READ
Wasserman, as Witness, TeSti-
flies on Radical Views of Sol
omon and ClaesSens.
SUNDAY SCHOOLS ESPOUSED
Mr.. Martin Denies Investigators Have
Split on Questions Arising
at Trial.
SCHOOLS EsPOUSED
Especial pespatch to the Herard.)

ALBANY, n. Y, Thursday.-Assembly-
men today gave more attention to q
growing demand that the trial of the five
Socialist members be ended forthwith be-
cause of lack Of substantial evidence prov
ing their disloyalty to the State than they
did to the mass of documents and testi-
mony presented by counsel for the State
at the all day hearing.
Careful canvass of the conservative Re-
publicans indicated clearly that the pre-
vailing sentiment tonight is that the evi-
dence so far presented is not strong
enough to justify EXPULSION OF the As
semblymen. Several independent Repub-
licans who voted for the investigation and
for unseating the five men during their
trial have stated as their confidential
opinion that the State must present a
stronger case or reseat the Socialists.
One proposal put forward was that with
the completion Of the States case, prob
ably in the next day or two, the judiciary
Committee ought to recommend dismissal
Of the charges without going to the trouble
Of receiving the Socialists defence
Mr.. Roosevelt Not in Fight.
Much has been said about a threatened
split in the Republican ranks, a demand to
be made in the Assembly to reseat the So
cialists during the remainder of their trial
and of we'll organized fight to be started
in the Assembly to discharge the Judi
ciary Committee from the further consid-
Grafton of tie case. In all these reports
Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt
has been named the insurgent who was
1 a 10 Lam tbaa- oh
Mr.. Roosevelt has not contemplated
starting such a fight. While he declined
TO discuss the reports. IL is known that
he has made clear to his associates that
he believes that the evidence so far pre-
sented does not justify expeliing the So
cialists and that he has informed the As
sembly leaders he will not vote for ex-
pulsion II their case is not stronger than
it now stands. In that position he has the
support OF many independent Republicans.
Whether the number is large enough to
threaten Speaker Sweets hold on the AS
sembly leadership is regarded as doubt
full.
There has been no party split. although
many Republican leaders are much con-
cerned over the situation which has grown
out OF the Socialist trial. There is criti-
ctsm of the procedure, but the opposition
is unorganized, and in all probability will
not express itself until some kind OF re-
port is presented by the judiciary Com
mttee.
May Find n LoophoIe.
Those who are in favor of making short
shrift OF the case point out that the COM
mittce was instructed merely to make
an investigation of the charges presented
TO Speaker Sweet and, having made such
| an inquiry, can clear itself by returning
a report that the evidence did not sustain
tho allegations. The most serious thing
/ involved would be Speaker Sweets politi-
cal future. His boom for Governor might
suffer hard blow
! The judiciary Committee was reported
! to have employed a press agent TO get
out its views daily and send boiler plate
material to the State press. Louis Martin,
chairman OF the committee. made state
nent that no publicity agency was being
employed. The press agent returned 10
New York. He is understood to have
been employed by the Speaker.
The State did not present any striking
new evidence. Following the policy Of
pilng up accumulative evidence all tend
ing to show the radical and dangerous
drift Of modern Socialism. the State pre-
scnted many Official documents put out
by the Socialists. Then the State tried
to show that by subscribing to these doc
| trines. as they did in speeches and by in
dorsing the platforms, the five Assembly
men were disloyal to the government they
plede ed TO serve here.
Testifies Against Solomon.
Frank WaSserman, a lawyer, formerly
prominent in the Socialist party, testified
that in several conversations Assembly,
man Solomon, one Of those on trial de-
clared his allegiance to Soviet Russia and
/ indorsed the system OF murder and
/ plumber as necessary. These were street
corner conversations and are unsupported.
Mr.. Wasserman, who resides at No. 565
Howard avenue. in the Brownsville sec
| tion of Brooklyn, said he had been ac-
quainted with Assemblymen Solomon and
Claessens for five years.
! Mr.. Wasserman told Of debate he had
with Claessens In February. 1917 and re-
peated statements made by the Assembly
man. The witness said
i raised the question OF how the Social
list party proposed to take possession OF the
tools and sources of production, and also
raised the constitutional limitations as T.
taking possession. When | raised the
question OF constitution, II met with
mirthfu hilarity. Mr.. Claessens said that
the constitution was mere scrap OF
paper and that the people when they go,
control under a Socialist government
would take things by force"
| The witness also told OF conversation
with Solomon on street corner in Brook
lyn. He said
Solomon stopped me. as he very frc-
quently has in the last few years We
have been very friendly, and we got into
a discussion. as usual. and said to him.
/ Well, are you Bolshevist7' He said
! Yes; I have so stated in the Assembly
chamber ! said, DO you believe in all
that Bolshevism stands for? He said. 4
certainly do l said. DO YOU believe IN
\ the methods adopted by the Bolshevists
in enforcing their rule of government in
Russia He said, L do
HE said, DO you believe that those
methods are in keeping with democratic
principles? lie said. | do | said to him.
! Did YOU state that in the Assembly,? lie
said, 1 did l said II had been there