New-York tribune., 1918-06-06
Labor Circles Believe Cali
fornia Executive VIII
Grant Request
Hope for Mrs. Stokes
Friends to Urge President to
lntercede in Behalf of Con-
victed Disloyalist
By BRIGGS

WASHINGTON, June 5.-The second
request from the White House that
Thomas J. Mooney be, not hanged for
his part in the Preparedness Day bomb
outrage in San Francisco has been for
warded from President Wilson to Gov
ernor Stephens of California, it be-
came known to-day.
While no announcement was forth
coming from the White House, and the
correspondence was withheld, the fact
President Wilson has again interested
himself in behalf of the convicted
labor leader was received in labor cir
cles with the assurance executive
clemency could no longer be withheld
Governor Stephens's negative re-
sponse to the first request from the
White House was based on the fact
the Mooney case still was pending be-
fore the Supreme Court of California,
to which an appeal had been made for
a new trial on the ground that con-
victlon of the accused moulder was
procured through perjured testimony
The Governor was without authority
to extend clemency while the case was
pending in the courts.
Now Free to Act
With the Supreme Court overruline
the motion for a new trial, and thus
confirming the decision of the lower
court, the case was put squarely up to
Governor Stephens to say whether the
the sentence of hanging "within sixtv
or ninety" days shall apply.
The Presidents appeal to Governor
Stephens is not interpreted here as
asking for complete pardon for
Mooney. The White House request, it
was pointed out, grew out of the Presi-
dents desire to have Mooney tried in q
jurisdiction in California where preju-
dice may not creep in. 1t is known the
President has before him volumes of
resolutions protesting against what is
characterized as tainted evidence" ad-
duced in the first trial, and resolutions
from virtually every labor union in the
country have been forwarded either to
Congress or to Governor Stephens ap-
pealng against the death sentence.
The fact that protests against the So
called Mooney persecution" were made
in Russia, Holland and Denmark also
was pointed to to-day as a cause for
the Presidents second appeal. Threats
of workers in the Pacific Coast ship
yards to cease their labors also were
referred to as contributing cause for
the action of the White House.
The interest evinced in the Mooney
case by the President gave hope ia
friends of Mrs. Rose Pastor Stokes
recently sentenced to ten years in
prison for violating the sedition act
that he would intercede in her behalf
While none of the prominent Social
lists here advanced the theory that the
Mooney and Stokes cases were analo-
gous, the point was made that Mrs
Stokes's prominence in European capi-
tails might be sufficiently strong to ere
ate similar feeling there as that
aroused in the Mooney case.
Department of Justice officials, how
ever, maintained that any action tend
ing to minimize the offence of which
Mrs. Stokes was convicted should be
discouraged, and the punishment ad-
ministered by the Federal court in her
case should not be interfered with.
SACRAMENTO, CAL, June 5.-Gov-
ernor William D. Stephens announced
to-day he had received telegram from
President Wilson in regard to the
Mooney case and had replied. Moth
ing further will be given out at this
time" he aid
No immediate action by Governor
stephens was expected, it was said at
his office. Mooncy's lawyers have an
nounccd their intention to apply to the
State Supreme Court for writ OF
probable caYSe. and it was indicated
here that the Governor was awaiting
fha outcome Of this action.