Evening star., 1920-01-20
n. Y. SOCIALISTS
HELD j. s. ENEMIES
Charges Stated as Trial
0pens-Hughes' Committee
Not Recognized.

! ALBANY, n. Y, January 20-Soon
after the opening today of the trial
| Of the five suspended socialist assem-
blymen, Louis M. Martin, chairman
of the judiciary committee, read a
statement which asserted that the as
sembly had learned through various
channels" that the defendants were
members of party whose platform
demanded complete destruction ~ot
our form of government by the TO-
mentation of industrial unrest, the
bringing into action of force and vio-
lence and direct action by the masses u
/ The committees statement also
charged that the defendants '.are, with
others, engaged in a large and well
organized conspiracy" to destroy the
right to own private property. to
weaken the family, to destroy the
church and overturn the whole fab
rlc of constitutional form of gov
| ernment.
The judiciary committee refused to
| note the appearance of the New York
City Bar Association committee, head
| ed by Charles E. Hughes. which asked
| to be received in the interests of the
public
| Mr.. Martin in explaining the refusa
to receive the Bar Association repre-
| sentatives, said the committee had de-
| cided it could not consent to allow
committees to appear representing any
parties outside of the inquiry He ex-
planned that many organizations inter-
ested in the proceedings wished to
appear. and it was necessary to adopt
! a hard and fast rule" that an ap-
| pearanee could not be granted unless
| these delegations went on record as
representing the defendants.
Mr.. Hughes Reads Statement.
After Mr.. Martin had stated the po-
Sifjon of the cOmmiffaa Mr. HnCheE
said:
tsaI> appreciate s~tfe-~-fact that the
judiciary committee is the judge OF its
own procedure. but / crave leave to
present a statement which the COM
mittee which / represent has pre-
pared"
Mr.. Hughes then read the closing
paragraph of the statement, which
was to the effect that no disqualified
| tion had yet been shown against the
had not been properly laid: that the
privileges of their seats should be re-
stored to them; that the charges should
be properly formulated, and that until
determines their qualifications they
should enjoy all privileges of their
| seats. but in their own right and in
the rights of their constituencies.
Mr.. Hughes and his delegation then
| left the chamber.
Cnallen&eS as 10 FfOce0ure.
Morris Hillquit, chief counsel for
| the defense. in opening, challenged
! the right of the judiciary committee
! to conduct the proceedings, and urged
! that il report back TO the assembly
| that special committee be elected by
the assembly. and not appointed by
| Speaker Sweet, to hear the evidence.
/ In opposing Mr.. Hillqut's motion,
| John B. Stanchfield. associate counsel
| for the prosecution, cited congress
| sional precedent for the assembly's
procedure.
I'VE resort to no technicalities,' -
| Mr.. Stanchfield said. These men are
| entitled to no representation. If it
| wished the committee might hold its
! hearings in secret and then report it's
/ findings to the house. But it has
elected to give them a public and i'm
partial hearing"
| Failing to obtain favorable action
! lenged the right of several members
of the judiciary committee to sit.
Chairman Martin overruled the
! challenge.
| Mr.. Hillquit next moved to dismiss
/ the proceedings on the ground that
| they were not warranted by the con-
! stitution or by the statutes of the
state, AS Mr.. HillQuit said that his
argument would consume at least an
hour, a recess until 2 pm. was taken
Move to Reseat Laid Over.
| Five resolutions introduced in the as
sembly dealing with the cases of the five
suspended socialists, one providing that
they should be reSeated, were laid over
for a week at today's session of the
house. preceding the opening of the trial