Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-02-06
THE sACCo-vANzETT CASE,

Massa chusetts murder appears more like
Iv TO put democracy than to put the defendants OF
record on trial before the bar of popular opinion
sacco and vanzetti are Italian immigrants labor
unionists "red" socialists and war slackers IL the
roo+ state of Massachusetts desires to put them on
trial for being any, ALL of these things let II
formulate its indictments and proceed to trial Then
the Justice and wisdom of the course taken by the
state can be discussed without confusion
But these men were indicted for killing and ROB-
bing two men at a given hour ana place on ApiH
49, 1920 The sole question to be presented ana
decided at their trial whether or not they COM
nitted this crime. Whether they were immigrants
or native born; whether labor unionistsor capital
lists: whether "red" socialists, or standpat republic
cons whether saekers or ex-service heroes, mad no
nlace in their trial care they guilty as charged IN
the Indictment" was the sole issue before the
court To bring in any other issue, directly or ln-
directly was highly prejudicial and improper anu
should constitute grounds for new trial Yet
reading of the record shows that al OIL 'heSe i''
crept into the trial.
rhe testimony OF their immigrant associates,
which proved an aibi for them, was scoffed at be-
cause the witnesses were Italian Immigrants Where
pray tell would italian immigrant, living IN an
Italian colony Boston, be expected to fnd VIII
nesses who knew of his whereabouts on certain
day? Certainly not in the fashionable Brookline
district These men did not live there and prooa-
fort of the prosecution to discredt these defense
witnesses en- masse as "wops' and therefore un-
worthy of belief was contemplate and reprehensi-
Bile in the extreme.
whether or not they should be tried and pun
shed as "red socialists anarchists or agitators we
do not care to discuss. They are charged with no
such crime 1t should not be in the case. Yet no
one can read the evidence without believing thar
because they were all OF these things they were
convicted of a specific murder upon grossly 1llnsy
and highly unreliable circumstantial evidence
Any man who will countenance any such pro-
ceeding does not believe in our institutions no mat
ter how loudly he proclaims that belief, our Ann
erican procedure does not recognize that men may
be convicted on general principles The indictment
must be specific and the evidence and atmosphere
be confined to the charges set down. Any other
system" will lead into troubles which will re-
suit in the loss OF most sacred personal and
political rights.
Whether or not the Journal thinks from read
ing of the record that these men were innocent or
guilty is beside the question. We convinced
that the record is full of extraneous and preju-
dical matter that these did not receive the
fair trial to which America boasts that every man
is entitled.
That these men are foreigners, unfamiliar with
our institutions and without powerful friends, is
more reason why solictude should be shown to
that Justice is done. That they disbelieve in the
American form of government is greater reason
why should demonstrate that justice and fair
ness may be found under that form of government.
There are evidences in the record that all Of the
power of a great commonwealth used to
vict these men. That is wrong. The strength OF
the government should not be used to overpower
the weak. The state should confine its efforts to
presenting the dispassonate evidences of guilt with
out any display of animus to convict by hook or
crook. The state has right to its overpowor-
ing machinery to prevent testimony intimidae wit
nesses and lead jurors to feel that they bad
citizens unless they vote to convict
We stated in the beginning that democracy is
on trial in this case 1t is, for hundreds of thou
sands of foreigners, radicals and political students
are watching to see whether democracy can control
its prejudices and whether or not the enemies of
the radicals courts improperly to
Wet those of whose social views they dsapprove.
In reality it is human nature which is on trial.
The Journal believes that social order denied
these bosheviki fair trial. In Russia the bolshe-
Wiki system denies the capitalist a fair trial. Each
would control by force and put its enemies of
business by "railroading" them Such is human
nature wherever found. This tendency must be re-
sisted strenuously in the interest of democracy.
The Journal disagrees with about every political
view which sacco and Vanzetu entertain. But that
hardly constitutes for desiring to con-
vict them Of murder. Pride in our established in
stitutions should lead demand that all Of the
projections Of which we boast shall be thrown
around the enemies Of these institutions Example
is the greatest teacher in the world. Kindness and
justice attract; harshness and injustice repel
The way to make ten thousand 'reds" is
to deny justice to these poor, deluded foreigners
Martyrs always make new converts to the faith