New-York tribune., 1920-03-31

tHOS6 IHHCltutiOu WHlCn tu0 WeuueNo "
the Legislature are sworn to suppor
and defend.
"The fallacy with which we are deal
ing is fundamental one involving. az
plainly a contradiction in terms thai
| it refutes itself.
"The rule adopted by this committee
has twofold application in this case
"First--1t applies to the group o,
party Of men with which these Assem-
blymen are united by the solemn obli.
cation of pledge. II this group OF
party advocates and is committed tc
principles and policy that violate ir
above, membership therein, nasmuch
as it involves acceptance Of and ad.
herence to such principles and partici-
patton in such program, necessarily
disqualifies from membership in this
legislative body any individual member
of that group laboring, by virtue OF
F., such membership, under like disa-
bility.
"On this first proposition we are
again .,in harmony with the views Of
counsel for these men.
I "Second-The disqualification of any
lindividuai for reasons personal to him
|.self of course disqualines and renders
him ineligible for seat in the House
Iiquite apart from the consequences OF
|lmembership in the party"
/ In connection with the second propo-
lisition,. the report quotes from the tes-
timony given at the inquiry by George
! r.: Lunn, who said that the Socialist
elected Mayor of Schenectady, at
tempted to "discipline" him for not
obeying it's instructions as to his ap-
pointments.
"Since members of the Socialist party
elected to Office are no more than me.e
proxies for the dues-paying members Of
their locals" continues the report, at
is Of interest to note that the dues .
paying members compose a very small
percentage of those voters who az
filiate with the party and still small
er percentage of those who vote for
candidates of the Socialist party. The
evidence shows that in the county Of
New York the present dues-paying
membership of the party consists Of
5,56S persons. Of these 1888 are
marked on the card records in the Of
flee Of the secretary Of the New York
local as citizens, 987 not citizens, and in
the case of 802 there is no record as to
citizenship.
"It is apparent, therefore, that those
WIN olC ClCCICu W pupilt OlICe UIl JIG
Socialist ticket are responsive to the
domination and control of very small
group and that a substantial part Of
this group is composed of Aliens"
War Attitude Reviewed
Considerable attention is given in the
report to the attitude of the Socialis.
party toward the war and the events
leading up to it, 1t mentions the fact
that shortly after the sinking of the
Lusitana the national committee of
the party formulated new section of
the party's constitution, which was
ratified by vote of II ,041 to 1872, pro-
vidinE that "any member of the So
cialist party elected to an Office who
shall in any way vote to appropriate
moneys for military or naval purposes
or war shall be expelled from tho
party
The report discusses portions Of the
evidence purporting to show that the
Socialist party opposed prosecution of
the war, opposed all proposed legisla-
tion for industrial and military corr
scrptioh, pledged itself to work
for the repeal Of the conscription law
advised resistance to conscripton of
life and labor and urged the repudia-
tion of war debts.
Policy of Obstruction Charged
z, ,"The' = Socialist party of America,
controlled and dominated as afore-
. said, is therefore an organization or
group Of men combined together for