The New York herald., 1920-01-14
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sociation left the room and said TO the
reporters waiting in the hallway: -
That's not a meeting, it's riot"
Confer mt MIR. HiIIquits Home.
Morris Hillquit who will be chief coun-
sci for the five Assemblymen at the pro-
ceedings in Albany, was in conference all
yesterday at his home. No 2f4 Riverside
Drive. with the expelled men and S. John
Block and William Karlin, of the Socialist
Legal Committee. It was decided. state
ment issued later declared. that the Social
list lawyers would confine themselves en-
tirely to that section of the proceedings
which will have to do with the principle OF
socialism. Questions concerning the con-
stitutional right of the five men to sit
in the Legislature will be left TO whatever
lawyers appear in the interests OF the peo-
pie and representative government.
Mr. Hillquit arrived from Saranac Lake
early in the morning. The five Assembly
men-Charles Solomon. Louis Waldman
Samuel Orr, August Claessens and Samuel
A. De Witt-were summoned to his home
by telephone. When the conferrees took
a recess at noon they issued a statement
declaring that should they fail before the
Judiciary Committee at Albany the ca Sc
will be taken into the courts and If need
be, to the United States Supreme Court
The statement follows -
I'VE are determined to demand an i'm
mediate hearing, to be continued from day
to day without interruption. In view of
the fact that the five members of the
Assembly under charges have been sus-
pended from membership pending final
decision upon the report of the Assembly
Judiciary Committee, they are entitled tc
a speedy hearing and expeditions action
The Socialist party is determined to con-
duct the fight TO a finish. regardless OF
cost and of effort. 1t is the advice OF
counsel that this case is not one in which
the action of the Assembly is final, but
that 1t is subject to review by the courts
The party is prepared, IL necessary. &c
carry the question to the highest court
of the State and. il need be. to the SUI
preme Court of the United States.
Affects People ms a Whole.
'As We see it. the issue involved affects
not only the Socialist party as such, but
also. and to very vital extent, the people
as a whole and democratic institutions
The party viii take care Of its peculiarly
own end in the proceedings through its
own counsel, but it at the same time
deeply appreciates and welcomes the CO.
operation of organizations and persons
who have already offered and may offer
their services because of the profound pub
lie interest involved.
"The Socialist Assemblymen as such will
be represented before the Assembly Ju-
dietary Committee by Morris Hillquit, S
John Block. Gilbert L. Roe. Walter Nelles
and William Karin. AS far as retaining
additional counsel is concerned. our plans
in this respect may be affected by the
action to be taken by the Bar Association. "
Mr.. Roe and Mr. Nelles are the only
non Socialists members of the defending
counsel.
Charles Solomon said there was a dis
position among the Socialist party leaders
to confine the strictly Socialist aspects OF
the case to Socialist attorneys and to have
the constitutional arguments made BY
others.
THE Socialist spokesmen were very
careful to make it clear" he said. that
they appreciate that issues other than the
vindicaton of the Socialist party are in
volved and that they We're ready to well
come cooperation of persons and organi-
cations in the fight to preserve democratic
representative Institutions.
Mr.. Hillqut said that the Socialists
were gratified to be thrust once more ir
the forefront of this battle for elementary
democra cy,"
complete tabulation of the pledges
made at the meeting OF labor bodies in
the Rand School. No. East Fifteenth
street, Monday night, produced a total oi
$50. 600. OF this amount 81, 900 has been re-
ceived in cash and other large sums have
been promised before the latter part of the
week.
Officials of the Socialist party were par
ticularly anxious to have il made known
that Mr. Hilquit and the four other law
yers who will aid him in defending the
five expelled men are serving without
1t was stated that hey will
even defray their personal expenses in
Cured during the trip to and from Albany
and the hotel bills while they remain there.
The defence fund will be used exclusively
TO pay for printing and clerical assist
ance.
Mr.. Claessens and Mr.. Orr left last night
for Albany TO be on hand in case any per-
son desires to serve papers OIL them. The
three other expelled men and five lawyers
will leave for the Capital this morning
sFriends of the Court
There was another conference Of the
legal advisory committee at the home Of
Mr.. Hillquit last night. Mr.. Hillquit later
said the Socialists were much gratified
at the tentative offers Of assistance COM
ing from the Bar Association and prom
inent lawyers. as showing the weight OF
public opinion in the matter. lie said
that he expected the Judiciary Committee
of the Assembly would permit any COM
mittee appointed by the Bar Association
to sit In at the trial as friends of the
and that the Socialist legal COM
mittee would be glad TO offer them every
facility to assist in the defence. II the
Judiciary Committee would not permit the
Bar Association representatives. TO sit al
the trial in this capacity the Socialists
would be glad TO make them associate
counsel. he said.
Mr.. Hilluuit outlined the defence. The
first step will be to move for n dismissal
of the charges on the ground that the
Assembly had no constitutional power to
take the action il did. Mr.. Hillquit de-
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