The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-01-15
EXPULSION OF FIVE SOCIALISTS

"@ HE PRINCIPLES upon modern democratic gov n is built up have been ages in development Liberty has become so universal almost forgotten any deficiency liberty Few living men have participated in the long bloody fights which waged the safety of the individual The parliament is quite thing be- gan exist in the sixteenth century The universal ballot quite thing held by only for short time Millions have not even received 1t and yestges of plural voting exist all over the world
 liberty is the ballot the decision the people who vo and to these decisions it is necessary highest type of obedience shall be given Pollution of the ballot is most dangerous Only free ballot with full ac- escence in the decision of the ballot box can keep state great free
 The five socialists who threatened with expulsion the legislature of New York state have been elected in lawful They have right to sit They have right sit if the party which nominated them contains ele admired respected, tolerated the American plan of government
 party thing Its principles, its dis cne it's election methods have been familiar to Americans forty years
 If there anything methods, principles diso pne that is inconsistent with American policy it must be eli minated by due process of law
 The must not proceed by the elimination of the lawfully of that party from the legislatures which they been elected, by the of arbitrary power
 For it's own protection legislatures have the right to de- eide who shall sit in them. They reject for reason but the power nevertheless not to be used except serious and in very cases
 If these five socialists expelled merely because the New York legislature majority of it's members, does not like their beliefs and principles then offense against popular government has been committed.
 The principles apply to Mr. Berger but in not strong He has been convicted of crime and he expe
 
 maories and would be much injurious him. than repudate the principle that the people of ssona district have right to choose whom they will
 political offense quite different thing pri- vae dsobedience to law The committed of selfishness The political crime rue out of strong feeling of devotion to principle which the offender deems important for the happiness of the people.
 The whole history of human freedom persecution of political offenders of their struggles erty
 This is by to that all political had sound supported projects embodied into social practice
 The political refor1ner reyolutonist of but method of procedure To prevail by force and great change by bloody violence.
 The American system makes violence unnecessary. Un- der the American system change by the orderly of ballot and legislation as the new ideas obtain enough support.
 For this because the methods democracy sufficient to meet all needs the country strong ton of revolution attempted by violence
 But If the legal methods choked off by arbitrary reform by violence will to the front.
 The of the five socialists n YorI legislature stimulus to direct action ican workmen have been adopting mode attaining progress preference democratic method o the ballot