Labor Defender June 1927 Volume 2, No. 6 - Marxists Internet Archive

More documents

Recommendations

Info

THE LABOR DEFENDER Sacco and Vanzetti Must <strong>No</strong>t Burn on th< 1HE Sacco-Vanzetti case has been a part of American labor history in the making. It is seven years now since Sacco and Vanzetti have been in the shadow of the electric chair. I do not believe that history knows of a similar case to this. I do not believe that we could find anywhere a case of such prolonged torture as the holding of the sentence of death over the heads of men for seven years and at the end -of that time we can come together for a meeting and not know yet whether that sentence is to be executed or not. The cause of Sacco and Vanzetti demands of us, of the entire labor movement, militant, unhesitating and unified support. We may have different opinions on many problems, but there is one thing that we have become sure of in these seven years in which we have said our word for Sacco and Vanzetti. We have become absolutely convinced that the case of Sacco and Vanzetti, the case of these two Italian workers in Massachusetts is not the case of two hold-up men or bandits. We have become convinced that it is the working class against the capitalists. We have become convinced that Sacco and Vanzetti are not only innocent of this specific crime with which they are charged, but that they are innocent of any crime except that of being victims of exploitation by the capitalists of the masses. Their case is a universal one indeed, and it lias gone so far that we do not need to discuss it from a legal standpoint; but for those who are interested it has been set forth by Mr. Holly and we can say for others, that recently a book was published by Professor Felix Frankfurter in which he comes to the conclusion that there is no case against Sacco and Vanzetti. But the case of Sacco and Vanzetti has a far bigger significance than any legal procedure. Sacco and Vanzetti began in this case as two employes, obscure fighters of the working class, but they have grown in these years until their personalities have made their impression not only in Massachusetts, not only in the United States, but all over Europe and America. Sacco and Vauzetti have grown as the great symbols of the whole labor movement. They stand for the upward struggle against oppression ruid exploitation, for fearless defiance of the enemies of labor with which the best representatives of the working class are instinct. Everyone today knows why the bourbons of Massachusetts arrested, imprisoned and tried Sacco and Vanzetti. Had they not been scrupulously loyal to the cause of the working class they would not now be faced with the grim march to the death chair. Had they remained silent while their brothers and comrades around them suffered persecution and oppression, had they not made the ideal of the liberation of the working class their own ideal, there would not today be a Sacco-Vanzetti case. Had they, in court, begged for mercy and renounced their cause and their past, they would have obloquy. But they did none of this. Despite the hundreds of interminable nights and days of imprisonment, with the ghastly thought of execution constantly in their minds, they have remained as simply true to the workers' cause as they were before this infamous frame-up was conceived in the minds of the Massachusetts reaction. Yes, their persecution has even steeled their convictions and history has already bound them inseparably with the history of the American labor movement. After seven years they come to court for sentence, and I wish that every worker in America could read the speech that Vanzetti made there. After seven years of torture and seven years of fighting by friends and comrades with the death sentence, this man stood up in court not as one guilty, not as one afraid, but turned to the judge on the bench and said to him: "You are the one that is afraid. You are the one that is shrinking with fear, because you are been freed to achieve the one that is guilty of Vanzetti called his w merely legal witnesses. Judge Thayer's attention decided to hold mass me men of our period like Gorki, Bernard Shaw- Einstein. He pointed to have protested again'jt labor fighters. He turned to Eugene men in America. Let us i measure guilt and innoe dence in court alone, bu that. Let us not forget Eugene Debs wrote publi( workers of America for appeal whose stirring lai newed vigor the protest sands in this country, i million-voiced demand f< Enormous throng of 20,000 workers in Union Square, New York, adoj Robert Dum is
EFENDER THE LABOR DDF.I /[ust <strong>No</strong>t Burn on the Electric Chair vould have been freed to achieve the one that is guilty of attempt to murder." did none of this. Despite the hunterminable nights and days of imwith the ghastly thought of execuntly in their minds, they have reimply true to the workers' cause as sefore this infamous frame-up was the minds of the Massachusetts rei, their persecution has even steeled tions and history has already bound rably with the history of the Ameriovement. ;n years they come to court for senwish that every worker in America he speech that Vanzetti made there, years of torture and seven years of 'riends and comrades with the death s man stood up in court not as one s one afraid, but turned to the judge and said to him: the one that is afraid. You are the ihrinking with fear, because you are Vanzetti called his witnesses there, and not merely legal witnesses. He marshalled before Judge Thayer's attention the thousands who have decided to hold mass meetings such as ours, and men of our period like Anatole France, Maxim Gorki, Bernard Shaw. Henri Barbusse, Albert Einstein. He pointed to the many millions who have protested againlit the death-hunt of two labor lighters. He turned to Eugene Victor Debs and other men in America. Let us iot forget that we should measure guilt and innocence not by formal evidence in court alone, but by higher values than that. Let us not forget that the last thing that Eugene Debs wrote publicly was an appeal to the workers of America for Sacco and Vanzetti, an appeal whose stirring language aroused with renewed vigor the protest of hundreds of thousands in this country, and brought again the million-voiced demand for life and freedom to A speech held at the these two valiant fighters, and condemnation their persecutors. It is hard to speak with restraint. I, like C< rade Chaplin, also had the honor of speak with Vanzetti. Everyone that has seen K spoken with him comes away with the feel: that he has stood in the presence of one of greatest spirits of the time. It is hard to speak with restraint when < is pressed by the thought that the vengeful ecutioners of Massachusetts are consummate their hideous plan to press the switch that v forever remove from our ranks the persons these two men who we feel are so much a p; of labor and its cause. Our impassioned del ruination to mobilize all of our strength a power to rescue Sacco and Vanzetti from th blood-lusty jailors must be communicated th out the land if we are to save them from 1 fate that has been prepared for them. nous throng of 20,000 workers in Union Square, New York, adopting a resolution for life and freedom for Sacco cmd Vansetti. Robert Dunn is speaking.
Page 2 and 3: 82 THE LABOR DEFENDER THE DEMAND OF
Page 4 and 5: 84 THE LABOR DEFENDER KOTEST of wor
Page 6 and 7: S6 THE LABOR DEFENDER A Good Strike
Page 10 and 11: uieir eunvicuoiis iuiu msLory lias
Page 12 and 13: 90 THE LABOR DEFENDER A Lawyer Look
Page 14 and 15: 92 THE LABOR DEFENDER A REBEL WORKE
Page 16 and 17: 94 THE LABOR DEFENDER were both per
Page 18: DEFEND PASS A 1C! Eight Strikers Ar

Labor Defender June 1927 Volume 2, No. 6 - Marxists Internet Archive

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?