y
so declare.

"It is that alien state, people of alien races--pledged to the
destruction of this Government and its institutions--that the
charges say that these men belong to and act with....

"Perhaps at a later day in this proceeding we will ascertain the
specific program to which they pledged themselves, the program of
Mr. Lenine and Mr. Trotzky, not to reform Russia--that is a
misconception and a misdirection; it is not that Lenine and Trotzky
are trying to reform Russia or change Russia, it is that Lenine and
Trotzky, acting through these agencies, are proposing the
installation of the same kind of government in constitutional
America that they have inaugurated in Russia, and these are the
agents and the instructors, according to the charge, to carry out
that program.

"It is quite a different thing from expressing your sympathy in a
convention for downtrodden Russia. It is a little different
program, Mr. Chairman, and the evidence in this case will disclose
that these members, in conjunction with that party, have tied
themselves irrevocably to the program.

"So that charge involves, I should say, a grave question as to
whether these men, pledged to an alien empire to carry out an alien
policy and to do it masquerading as a political party, shall be
members of that Assembly and can take the oath of office.

"Our ideals are the embodiment of the Constitution which these men
ought to have been able to take the oath to and support. No alien,
invisible empire, having one corner of it resting in the heart of
Soviet Russia, another corner of it resting upon the shoulders of
the Spartacides in Germany, and another resting somewhere else, you
swore allegiance to, but to this country and this standard and no
other country or standard--that is the ideal which we take the oath
for and undertake to support.

"Now, with that situation, here is an Assembly organized under the
ideals of that country and under its Constitution, and the question
here is, Can that Assembly inquire into whether or not five of its
members are disloyal to the country have foresworn themselves and
given their allegiance to an alien and an invisible empire, and
placed themselves in the hands of a master who can withdraw them
from this Assembly when he chooses