New-York tribune., 1920-09-21
Resolution Offered by
Gillette, ON Behalf of
Cuvillier, Buried i'm
Committee ON Judiciary
Sweet Gets Laugh;
'Quitter,' Says M'Cue
Republican Leaders Re-
fuse to Back Speaker
as Legislature nj Meets
From a Stan CorresSnondeut


ALBANY, Sept. 20-The five Social
ist Assemblymen. August Claessens,
Charles Solomon, Samuel De Wett,
Louis Waldman and Samuel Orr, were
permitted to take their seats tonight
Speaker Sweet himself acknowledged
their right to sit and to be heard, after
reading a statement which had been
handed to him by counsel for the Lusk
Committee justifying the Lusk-Sweet
custer of last winter and the seating
Of all five tonight on the ground that
changes in the Socialist constitution
had purgcd the reelected members of
their former disqualification.
"Quitter!" shouted Assemblyman
Martin G. McCue, of Tammany Hall,
when Speaker Sweet finished and shut
off any discussion by moving to ad-
journ.
Custer Resolution Offered
The Cuvillier- Gillette resolution. call
ing for the ousting of The five Socialist
Assemblymen, was read Majority
Leader Adler killed it by having it re-
ferred to the judiciary Committee.
Cuvillier objected to this action.
~ ask for a slow roll call"
~ rise to a point of order" said
Louis Waldman, one Of the Socialist
Assemblymen.
Estate your point of order" said
Speaker Sweet in a voice little above a
whisper.
This was an acknowledgment of the
oh f,,1 nf 1iotc IN
the chamber.
~ obiect!" shouted Cuviller. "You
cannot recognize the gentleman. He is
not a member of the House"
off the gentleman has taken his oath
of office he is member of the House,
unless majority of the members de.
eide otherwise"
Adler asked that the Gillette Cuvil-
lier resolution be referred to the judi
ciary Committee.
"Slow rollcall," demanded Cuvillier.
rise," said Speaker Sweet. Only Cuvil-
lier rose.
AS they passed the sergeant-at-arms
at the entrance they nodded to him and
marched to their seats, & from which iieh
they were taken by the same official
on the opening night of the regular
session last winter. The five were all
smiles. Many Assemblymen walked
over to their chairs and shook hands
with them.
Eight hours before the five Social
lists had presented themselves at the
office of the Secretary of State, who
swore them in.
During those eight hours Speaker
Sweet. who had caused the expulsion
OF the five, was trying to persuade
the Republican leaders to stand by him
and bring about another expulsion Of
the five. But man after man, with few
exceptions. told Sweet that they would
not support him.
Cuvillier Plans to Act
Yet there were some Of Sweets sup
porters who busted themselves among
the Assemblymen, urging that even if
the Socialists were not expelled at
least something be staged to save the
Speakers face. But up to o'clock no
one could be found except Louis Cuvil-
lier, the Tammany Assemblyman. who
could be relied upon to make hostile
move against the Socialists.
Failure of friends of Sweet to get
single Republican of prominence to act
was due to the expression from Repub-
lican leaders throughout the state that
Sweet be left to look after himself,
having taken it upon himself last win
ter to oust the Socialists.
While it was generally agreed among
the members that the Socialists would
not be expelled, number of Assembly,
men Of the Cuvillier type announced
they would not let the occasion 60 by
without starting row.
Sweet May Issue Statement
"Has Sweet run out on himself ?"
asked Cuvillier before the session
opened and when reports reached him
that the Speaker had permitted him
self to be persuaded to issue q state
ment defending himself, but not to in
troduce another custer resolution.
"Well," added Cuvillier, mo matter
what Sweet may do, ! will try my best
Continued on page six)