The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-04-01
THEODOR ROOSEVELT
PLEADS FOR SEAT|N 6
OF FIVE SOC|A LISTS

Albany, n. Y. April IA protest
against the expulsion of the five
socialist ass, nblymen was voiced by
Lieut.-Col. Theodore Roosevelt last
night, in his maiden speech as q mem
Der OF the New York assembly. His
argument was made in the course of
the debate on the question OF unseat
ing the socialist members Colonel
Roosevelt conceded that the assem-.
bly,. as the sole Judge OF the uualif-
cations OF its members. had right
TO expel any one and that It's determi-
nation was final.
AS this power is subject to no OK.
ternal CONTROL" he said. ut is doub.
ly necessary for us to exercise II only
with self-control," he said, because
the greater the power, the more dang.
erous the abuse
ITO eXpel the socialist party from
our assembly we must condemn it as
conspiracy. II We so expel It, we
must in all logic, set about expelling
all socialists from every office they
hold through the length and breadth
If this state, and to bring the ex.
| pulsion TO its logical conclusion, as
/ the right to vote In general entails
| the right 10 hold office, we must dis.
enfranchse every dues.paying mem
Ger of the socialist party.
Against the party there has been
urged as perhaps the two principal
charges, disloyal action during the
war and action or designs with the
intent of oyerthrowing our present
government by force.
with regard to the first Of these,
the record shows that during the
last crisis neither the party nor most
| OF its members approved of the war,
! nor for that matter, Of any war.
They confined their activities, however
to protesting against the war and to
refraining from giving voluntary help
| to its prosecution. To convict the par
/ ty on this charge would therefore be
to convict on belief of state Of
mind.
with regard to the second charge
that of planning the overthrow OF
the government by force, in no part
Of the record do l consider this tc
have been proved. At worst, there
are some ambiguous phrases and ut
terances. To convict in these it is
necessary to assum, that each and
every member Of the party subscribes
10 every tenet OF the party, an un
fair assumption
1T has been definitely proved II
the investigation that minors ant
aliens are members OF the socialist
party, and may influence its policJ
and sit as members of its controlling
committees.
This is a most unsavory fact, bu
should we expel the party on this ac
count? Again, no!
I'VE abhor the partys principles
We must not let this influence US tC
commit crime against representative
government. We have established NJ
case against the socialist party.
1--WE must not expG these men
therefore, simply because they are
members of the socialist party.
THE second but less important fea
ture that comes up before us is th'
question OF fitness OF these men a.
individuals.
"We have Y rancorous dislike for th'
actions OF most Of these men as in
dividuals. Our actions. however, mus
have no reference to any except to tw'
things--original justice and discretion
, airy application. We must not let thi
entirely justifable dislike force us t
commit crime .gainst represents
tive governt. mt. We must resea
these men. and then in our pleas
ure. take up and remedy by legisla
ton such things in their party g.
may need considerations"