The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-01-30
CALL SOCIALISTS
TRAITORS T0U. S.
Chairman Martin Bares Scope
Of Charges Against New York
Assembly CaStoutS.
HILLQUIT WARNS COMMITTEE.
Chairman Cuts Hughes Short and Ex-
cIudes Bar Association Group
@Hould Loosen Revolution" So
cialists Endeavored to Stem.

Albany, N UT became evident
beyond any dispute here that in addi-
ton to the five assemblymen under
charges the entire Socialist party in
the United States is under investiga-
ton by the New York State assembly.
Furthermore, In the opinion of men
concerned with the investigation, II
the case against the accused men is
established ON the broad lines lndi-
Gated in developments. similar action
in other legislatures and wherever So
cialists hold public office must follow.
II the accused Assemblymen were
ever in doubt in regard 10 the nature
of the charges that were to be lodged
against them that doubt was swept
aside when Chairman Louis NJ. Martin
of the Assembly judiciary Committee
read into the record a statement on
behalf of the committee which in this
instance constitutes the indictment
against the accused
1t charges, in short, that the five
men under investigation are members
Of a party whose principles and doc
trines as advocated at present demand
the complete destruction of existing
forms of government by the fOmenta-
ton of industrial unrest, the adoption
of violence where necessary and the
substitution OF minority for majority
rule. In addition. counsel for the COM
mittee promised TO show that the ac-
cused men were so committed to these
principles that their designations were
on file with their governing councils,
to be produced whenever, in the option
of their masters, they may be regarded
as derelict in their duty to the cause.
Although he was quick to deny that
any threats were implied, Morris Hill
quit, chief counsel for the Socialists,
after the committees statement had
been read and during the course of
argument of motion to dismiss the
entire proceedings. delivered himself
of some observations and advice to the
committee that, figuratively speaking,
made every anti-Socialst in the crowd
ed assembly chamber see red.
THE Socialist movement" Hillquit
said, cannot be tried, cannot be found
guilty, cannot be outlawed, cannot be
suppressed.
This proceeding may be delightful
and novel to you: it isn't new to US.
1t has been tried before"
Hillquit added that attempts to sup
press Socialism had been undertaken
by the Gar and the Kaiser, and he
asked the committee to consider their
fate. He added that it would be part
of folly to believe that the Socialist
party feared suppression while half of
the world was under its control Hill
quit completed his argument by warn
ing the committee that if it persisted
in its contemplated act" it would
loosen the violent revolution that the
Socialists sought to stem.
"As a party" he said 1--WE are not
afraid of you. AS fellow citizens we
say, gentlemen, take care of what you
are doing ~
Calls 1t an "Entreaty"
Son the contrary" he said, sit was
sort of love affair. l was merely i'm
ploring you to be as good and peace
loving as we Socialists are. That was
an entreaty and it was intended to be-"
In two other respects the days de-
velopments went against the accused.
In the first place Charles E. Hughes
and other prominent lawyers, consti-
tuting a committee of the Association
of the Bar of the City of New York,
were not permitted to argue in opposi-
ton to the assembzly's procedure.
While in no way condoning the So
cialist principles, this committee was
prepared TO oppose the method of pro-
cedure, and its failure to be heard was
distinct disappointment to the So
cialist delegation. Mr.. Hughes, how
ever, did manage to get into the record
a recommendation that the judiciary
Committee report to the assembly that
no charges affecting the qualifications
of the five assemblymen are properly
before it.