The New York herald., 1920-01-16
CD. NEWTON SEEKS.
SPECIAL COUNSEL
SOCIALISTS.
Neither Elihu Root nor w. D..
Guthrie Will Act, 1t Is
Announced.

Charles d. Newton, Attorney General
arrived in this city late yesterday after
noon in search OF special counsel for the
Assembly Judiciary Committee. which win
try the five suspended Socialist Assembly
men next week. Thaddeus c. Sweet
Speaker of the Assembly. will reach here
this morning and will confer with Mr..
Newton. The names of several promine emf
lawyers will be considered at the confer
ence.
1t has been definitely learned that the
Judiciary Committee will not be able to
obtain the services of either Elihu Root
of William d. Guthrie as special counsel.
Mr.. Root and Mr.. Guthrie are engaged
on legal actions having to do with prohbi-
ton and the Eighteenth Amendment.
which makes it impossible for them to ap-
pear in Albany. Neither Mr.. Root nor Mr..
Guthrie would say whether they had been
approached in the matter.
Samuel A. Berger Deputy Attorney
General, admitted that between forty and
fifty subpoenas, calling for the apear-
ance OF prominent Socialists and persons
who testified before che Lusk COMMITTEES
as witnesses for the State at the coming
trial. had reached this city. Mr.. Berger
refused to reveal the identity of the per-
sons named in the subpoenas He also
>sSSAiAACu " oioCuSS d TcPOTI tndC MT. New
ton would interview several of the prospec-
tive witnesses before he returns to ALBANY
Bar Committee Select.
The part the Special Committee selected
Tuesday night by the Bar Association will
play In the coming legal battle continues
undecided. Neither Charles E. Hughes or
any other member Of the committee would
say anything concerning this matter. II
was learned that the committee decided at
its meeting on Wednesday to be silent un-
til the proceedings at Albany begin.
Norris Hillquit, chief counsel for the So
cialists, was in conference all afternoon
with the five Assemblymen at his home,
No. 214 Riverside Drive. Harry w Haines
sergeant at arms of the Assembly, served
copies OF the charges on the men. which
the Assemblymen declared, were the main
topic Of the conference.
Louis Waldman, one Of the expelled men
characterized the charges as vague gem
eralities and inferences" He said no spe-
cific accusations were made against either
himself or the four other suspended men.
I'VE will know no more about the
charges that have been brought against
us on the day we are tried" he said, than
we did the day the precpitate action was
sprung upon US at Albany.
Sweet is reported as saying that he
observed our actions in the Assembly dur
ihs tHc ScSSIOuS VI ivlo dllu 1915, ana as
serts he wants to determine our qualifica-
tions before we sit in for the 1920 session.
We wish to reverse the compliment
National Body Protests.
Julius Gerber, Secretary of the State
Executive Committee of the Socialist
party, made public a statement received
from the National Executive Committee
which has it's headquarters in Chicago. 1t
was in part as follows
"The National Executive Committee
raises its voice in protest against the
gross violation of all civil decency and
fair play by the two leading parties in
the State Assembly Of New York. 1t
is an act of violence aimed at the in
dependence of elected representatives and
treachery to representative institutions.
1t is an attempt to incorporate the Re-
publican and Democratic parties as
State-kept and State-protected political
organizations with State dogmas which,
to challenge, would be regarded as in
imicar to the State and nation
I'VE warn those guilty of this treason
to representative institutions that their
success would be a direct invitation to
force and violence, and that their~treach-
cry is 'inimical' to the people of this
country"
Broadway, sent a letter to Mr.. Hillquit
in which he denounced the action Of the
Assembly. Mr.. Allen said 1t was the
most revolutionary act which has taken
place in this country since the flag was
fired on at Fort Sumter"
The Committee on General Welfare OF
the Board of Aldermen has under con-
sideration an ordinance presented by
Alderman James r. Ferguson. of the
Bronx, which is intended to limit the
propaganda of the Socialist party by pro-
hibiting political meetings or discussions
on the streets except during the thirty
days proceeding any primary, general or
special election. The ordinance probably
will be discussed at the next meeting OF
the Board of Aldermen on Tuesday.
, Seymour Stedman, Of Chicago. who was
counsel for Scott Nearing and Eugene "
Debs and other Socialists. Is on his way
to this city to become associate counsel
for the expelled Assemblymen Mr.. Sted-
man has been active in Socialist work for
maAy years.
The Park Community Council, of No.
lis Park avenue. at it's meeting Tuesday
night adopted resolutions condemning the
action OF the Assembly. A special meet
ing for general discussion of the. suspen-
sion of the Socialists had been called by
the council for next Monday night AS
semblyman Joseph Steinberg will be the
principal speaker.
More than two thousand Socialists at
tended the mass meeting OF protest held
last evening by the Socialist party OF
Brownsville. in the Brownsville Labor
Lyceum, No. 229 Sackman street Brook
lyn. to voice their disapproval of the sus-
pension of the five Assemblymen. All
five Assemblymen were at the meeting
and virtually repeated the speeches they
made Wednesday night at the Manhattan
meeting.