The New York herald., 1920-01-15
CITY BAR COMMITTEE DOESN'T
KNOW WHAT PART 1T WILL-PLAY
IN SOCIALIST TRIAL AT ALBANY

impair the future prestige and usefulness
of this association, as a body of trained
lawyers familiar with constitutional his
tory and practices. If you now indorse
any such declaration as is proposed in the
recitals to the resolutions before you, TO
the effect that this association Is un-
alterably opposed to any action by the
Assembly excluding a person duly elected
to its membership because of party af-
filiations with any political party, even
II that party be a REASONABLE and revolu-
tionary organization.
You are urged to take this grave step
and establish this dangerous precedent be-
fore the Assembly has even heard the evil
dence, debated the question and decided
the merits Would we not be hastily and
ill-advisedly prejudging the whole ques-
ton. and would not our action encourage
organizations Ia our midst who are striv-
ing to destroy the American system OF
Republican government and to pull down
the economic structure upon which our
future welfare and prosperity Will depend"
1T may, of course, be, that the In
vestigation that Is to begin tomorrow
morning before the. Judiciary Committee
pension Of the five members was un-
justifiable or unwise politically speaking
and that the facts and grounds alleged
and assumed in the preambles to the
resolutions adopted by the Assembly on
January cannot be proved. Let us hope
that may be SO. But in the meantime we
ought to wait and hear the evidence be-
fore we rush TO condemn in such terms
as this resolution proposes the representa-
tives of the people of the State Of New
York in the Assembly, for they were our
representatives and our judges when they
voted 40 TO to suspend the five men,
bers until the very serious charges
against them could be duly and regularly
investigated and when yesterday they
voted II to SO not to reconsider their prior
action.
THE inevitable Interpretation of the pro-
posed resolution If adopted in its present
form will be that we think the members
OF the Socialist Party of America are fit
members of our legislative bodies. 1t is
one thing for sympathetic individuals to
help the accused Socialists with money or
counsel if they need either. so as to assure
them fair and impartial hearing. which
they are certain to have; 1t is quite a
different thing for this great association
of the bar to champion their cause when
they have competent counsel and are
assured of adequate protection, or in so
doing to proclaim the constitutional doc
Lrnes recited in the proposed resolutions
before YOU
"Will Put Assembly ON Trial.
All five of the ousted Socialist Assem-
hlymcn addressed mass meetings OF the
Socialists of the Eighth Assembly District
last night In the Manhattan Lyoeum, at
No. &C East Fourth street. The tenor Of
all the addresses was cre of defiance to
the Assembly and supreme confidence that
tho Socialists soon would have the whip
hand. The speakers made no effort to
qualify statements that they had been the
victims of political plot. They Were
equally free with their predictions that
they were returning to Albany on Tues
day to put the Assembly on trial. instead
of being on trial themselves. There were
frequent allTsions to the Soviet govern
ment, and each mention OF it brought forth
prolonged applause.
Alderman Bederman, who presided, in
troduced Louis Waldman, who was elected
to the Assembly from the Eight Assembly
District Samuel Dewitt. Samuel Orr,
Charles Solomon and August Claessens
the other ousted Socialists, also made ad-
dresses.
A resolution adopted by the New York
Society of New York city condemning the
action Of the Assembly was read at the
meeting. There We're frequent illusions
to the benefit which the cause of Soc alism
will derive from the action of the AS
sembly. The necessity Of seizing upon the
present situation as a golden opportunity
to advance the cause of Socialism was
repeatedly urged.
Louis Wsldman and Charles Solomon.
two OF the suspended AsSemblymen, sent
letter to Assembiyman Louis Martin.
chairman OF the Judiciary Committee.
protesting agaiDst the delay OF the trial
Of themselves and the other three men.
In order that the defending counsel of
the suspended Assemhlymen may have suf-
ficient room, the Socialist party proposes
to hire a whole floor OF large Albany
hotel The publicity Department of the
party will have every facility, as it pro-
poses TO flood the upstate publications
with statements, because it is felt by
party officials that the press of Albany
and other cities IS hostile to their cause.