Evening star., 1920-03-30
MAJORITY WOULD
!. EXPEL SOCIALISTS
IN n. \. ASSEMBLY
DisIoyaIty Charged in TO-
000-Word Report of Judic-
iary Committee.

ALBANY, N. Y. March 80 (by the
Associated Press).-Branding the So
cialist party as IAN organization COM
posed exclusively of perpetual traitors" +"
a majority Of the judiciary committee of
the New York state assembly, in a re-
port transmitted to the lower house Of
the legislature today. recommended the
expulsion Of the five socialist assem-
blymen. August Claessens, Charles
Solomon. Louis Waldran. Samuel Orr
and Samuel A. De Witt.
Minority reports were submitted by
sented from the finding Of the major
Action on the reports will be made
q special order OF business In the as
sembly tomorrow and 1t 10 expect4d
that the final vote will be taken Thurs
day.
Although no concerted action has
been taken by those who are opposed
to the expulsion of the socialists,
Majority Leader Simon L. Adler of
Monroe and Assemblyman Theodore
Roosevelt of Nassau will speak and
vote against that program.
IT cannot approve Of the expulsion
of the entire representation of a
party from the legislature" Col.
Roosevelt said. today. Whatever l
may do or say. shall do as an in
divldual and not as a part of any
movement agreed upon with others.
1 am not a party to any concerted
action" he added.
Seven of the thirteen members Of
the committee favor the expulsion of
the entire socialist delegation, nVe
committeeman would reseat them and
another recommends the unseating of
August Claessens. floor leader Of the
minor minority" Charles Solomon
and Louis Waldman. and reinstating
Samuel Orr and Samuel A. Wewitt.
The decision of the judiciary COM
mittee was reached at an executive
session of the committee late last
night.
Those who signed the majority re-
port are Chairman Louis NJ. Martin
of Oneida. Vice Chairman Edward A.
Reverett of st. Lawrence and Assem-
blyman Edward J. Wilson of West
chester, George H. Rowe of Erie. Ed
mund b. Jenkins Of Broome. Charles
NJ. Harrington of Clinton. republicans.
and Louis A. Cuvillier of New York,
democrat.
The Eve who signed the minority re-
port are William w. Pellet of New
York, Theodore Stitt Of Kings. Har-
old Z. Blot of Schenectady. repub-
licans, and Maurice Bloch of New
York and William Evans Of the
Bronx.
lican. of Yates, will recommend the
seating of two Of the socialists and
the expulsion Of the other three.
2O,OOO-WOrd Report Submitted.
Charges of unf1tness against the five
socialist members of the New York state
assembly-Louis Waldman, August
Claessens, Charles Solomon. Samuel A.
De Witt and Samuel Orr-have been
sustained by majority Of the assembly
f,,1{4 {4s-
report submitted to the legislature to-
day. 1t says their seats should be de-
clared vacant.
Enactment of law to prevent any
organization which admits aliens to its
membership from occupying the position
of political party on the official ballot
Of the state is advocated.
The socialist assemblymen, the find
ings state. "are not obedient to the Con-
stitution and laws Of the United States
and the state of New York. nor desirous
Of the welfare of the country, nor in
hearty accord and sympathy with its
government and institutions"
Party Constitution Cited.
The report mentions the fact that the
party's constitution, provided that "any
socialist elected to an Office who shall
for military or naval purposes or war
shall be expelled from the party
The report reviews portions of the
evidence heard during the recent twen-
ty-four-day trial. purporting to show
that the socialist party opposed prose-
cution of the war. opposed legislation
for Industrial and military conscription,
pledged its members to work for the re-
peal of the conscription law. advised
resistance to conscription Of life and
labor and urged reputation Of war
debts.
Referring to the statement that some
1000 socialists had been arrested for
their activities, the report says: "It
was impossible to give expression or
act upon the true doctrines of the So
ialist party during the war without
running afoul Of the criminal law"
Would Render Country Helpless.
There is but one inference from the
position of the socialists In relation to
military and naval appropriations and
for war;" the report continues. They
would render the country and govern
ment helpless against all enemies. SO
that it may be helpless against them,
the enemies of established order.
'The socialist party OF America is
an organization or group of men COM
bined together for the purpose of him
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