New-York tribune., 1920-09-22

|
pulsion for the purpose Of determining
the constitutional qualifications Of the
i've Socialist members, and be it
further
Resolved. Without any further in
quiry, Louis Waldman, August Claes-
sens, Samuel Orr, Samuel A. Dewitt
and Charles Solomon are the duly
elected members Of Assembly from
their respective districts and are en-
titled to represent their said respective
districts in the extraordinary session
Of the Assembly Of 1920, commencing
September 20, 1920, and be it further
Resolved, That the precedent set
by the Assembly at it's regular session
Of 1920 in expelling the Ave Socialist
members upon any and all Of tho
port Of the Judiciary Committee pc
hereby declared to be null and void
and of no binding effect upon this AS
| sembly at the extraordinary session
nor upon any future house Of the AS
sembly."
Speaker Sweet, however, refused to
permit the resolution to come to
vote, holding that it was not privileged.
EvanS Criticizes Sweet
Evans then attacked the Speaker,
saying that to seat the five would be
only righting a grave offensc against
the constitution of the state and
against representative government.
THE. Speaker, in his statement,
which he read from the rostrum, con-
tinued to assert and maintain the right
and power of the Assembly to in
quire into the doctrines and platform
Of political party and to form
judgment therefrom as to whether
such party is loyal to the United
States and to the State of New York.
"Ihe assertion and maintenance of
such right and power are inimicas to
representative government in that thew
place the majority party in power as
the sole arbiter Of the fate Of minority
parties in their right to legislative
representation after q lawful election
OF Its members by the people, and
makes the majority party in power the
censor OF the platform and doctrines,
and would exclude such minority par-
ties from representation in the leeis-
lative halls unless the minority party
and its principles. doctrines and plat
form We're to the satisfaction of the
majority. This is unfair and un-
Assembiyman Waldman was the first
of the Socialists to speak in his own
defense. He called attention to the
fact that the two million words of the
trial had been spread through their
districts during their recent campaign.
| American"
We did not have single election
official of our party on any of the
boards" continued Waldman. "Yet,
with all these disadvantages, we have
come back here. We come here to Leg
| isiate on housing. don't care how
you act on these resolutions. We have
sat here day in and day out, during
every session that we have been here.
while many Of the members of the
majority parties were away at their
offices doing business.
People Declared Final Judges
II do not rise to apologize for nv
self or my beliefs, or to defend them.
You are not our judges. The people
are: We appealed to them after your
last conviction and they passed final
judgment, by virtue of which we are
here: I have my personal likes and
dislikes.
There are some men here I would
not shake hands with. But I bury INV
personal feelings when come here to
legislate. And you should do likewise.
You call me disloyal. I confess I am
disloyai to the food prohteers and to
those who live on the sweat and blood
W w ooSeo' out am loyal TO the
people of the United States, and am
striving, in my own fashion, to make
this saner and more beautiful and
more prosperous place to live in.
There has been talk here Of the So
clalists having purged themselves. We
have not purged ourselves, because
VIC. had nothing to purge. If you are
going to throw out minorties, what
avenue do you leave to minorities@in
which to express themselves when YOU
repudiate the ballot box? Your pro
ceeding, is not only American, but
unheard Of In civilized communities.
In 1871 Bebel and Liebknecht, avowed
opponents Of the Kaiser, were elected
TO the Reichstag. Even the Kaiser let
them sit. And when the Car wanted
| to get rid Of the Socialists in the Duma
he only dared do it by dispensing the
entire Duma. Yet you expel five Iegis-
lators and 60 on with your legislation
| as though their constituencies did not
exist.
Does the Assembly Of the State of
the Speaker"
Republicans Protest Custer
j., Various Republicans pleaded with
the followers of Sweet to accept the
vote OF the constituencies Of the Ave
Socialist Assemblymen as binding and
a. determining factor in their delibera-
tions
Samuel Orr took a second oppor-
tunity TO hurl taunts at Cuvillier, NC
Cue and the Speaker, saying:
| The waving of the flag is an old
trick resorted to by cheap vaudeville
actors to get applause at the end of
| their act and incidentally to save them
from getting the hook. But the dark
forces of reaction are at work here
| again. who were secretly conspiring
last winter to throw US out, and again
their advice is being followed. Ameri-
canize yourselves first and then at
| tempt 10 Americanize others. And let
me warn you il you throw out Solomon
Ciaessens and Waldman you will also
throw out Dewitt and myself"
Claesscns, the leader Of the Social.
lists, made the most defiant speech OF
ali. He looked at Cuvillier and sneered
at him. He bestowed the same atten-
tion on McCue, and no did not over.
look the Speaker.
You're not the judge and jury. We
are not taking our case to you. We
have already taken 1t to a higher tri~
bunal and won. II you want US TO take
another appeal 90 ahead. .Thzow US
out. Wen come back again like tho
eat In tho old saying. OpYy we'll bring
aock Of kittens with u.s."