The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-01-02
GOVERNOR HART
BRAzENLY AIDS
Rich KILLERS
Frames Up |. w. w. to
Jail Them

CENTRALIA, Wash, January /. -
There has seldom been better DEM
onstration Of the capitalist judicial
policy, one law for the rich, another
for the poor, than that given by Louis
f. Hart, whose second four-year term
of Office expires Dec. 81.
Frame-up Attack on |. w. w.
In Centralia, Wash, on Nov. II,
1919, military parade and demon
stration was staged by the American
Legion. Unknown to many, an attack
on the I. w. w. hall had been planned
The l. w. w. members resisted and
four legion members we're short while
trying to break into the hall. That
night prominent business men broke
into the jail, took Wesley Everest, an
ex-soldier, and lynched him. These
men are still prominent and respect
able citizens and lodge members of
Centralia, known to all, but unpun-
ished.
The men who had dared organize
the lumber workers and resist the
mob, were tried at Montesano, in a
county absolutely bossed by the lum-
Der trust. The presiding judge, John
M. Wilson, ruler out all favorable
evidence to the defense, all evidence
showing that the raid was part of a
premeditated plot. Gov. Hart sent
state troops who camped about the
courthouse, nominally to protect the
prisoners, actually that the jury might
be inundated. The majority of the
jorymen have since made affidavits
that their verdict was biased as a
result of this intimidation.
Hart Serves Masters Well.
Since then repeated efforts have
been made to persuade Gov. Hart to
pardon these men, who were given
sentences of from 25 to 40 years for
defending their constitutional rights,
But these men are workers. They
have no rich friends with money to
hire lawyers, and spend in other
ways. The governor has no mercy on
these victims Of one of the rottenest
frame-ups in history.
The Centralia victims are still in
prison and will be for at least four
more years. The new governor, Col.
Roland Hartley of Everett, is the will
ing servant of the lumber trust. He
has often expressed his hatred of the
labor organizations, particularly of the
|. w. w. He has stated that regard
less of all evidence he believes the
wobblies deserve to be in prison, not
because they committed any crime,
but because they are |. W. w. He be-
lieves the radicals should be sup
pressed, whether by legal or illegal
methods does not matter.
Kept Press Serves Same Master.
The labor press--both the /. w. w.
and the Communists-and the liberal
weeklies have told the truth about
the Centralia case. But the capitalist
press has lied from then until now.
1t always states that the shooting was
unprovoked and unjustified. And these
lies of the local capitalist press are
broadcasted over the world. Many
people do not know the truth.
There have been several pardon
scandals in the past few years. Every
time the governor left the state the
lieutenant governor would pardon
someone.
Trial Custom Made" For Rich.
Three and a half years ago four
soldiers deserted from Camp Lewis
and came to Tacoma. Here they hired
taxicab to take them to Seattle, in
tending to kill the driver and steal the
taxi A few miles out of town one of
these soldiers hit the driver on the
head with a rock. The body was
thrown out. Later the soldiers were
caught. Edward r. Filion OF Windsor,
Ont, was granted a separate trial. He
had rich relatives. All four were
given life sentences and special re.
concentrations were made that they
be kept there for life and never be
paroled.
On Dec. 6. Gov. Hart paroled Filion,
over the protest OF the parole board.
The governor cannot remember why
he granted the parole or any circum.
stances OF the case. Wonderfully short
memory he has. When this pardon
became known, 1t stirred up a great
furore. But Filion is free. His three
partners in crime are poor men and
will remain in prison.
Wealthy Murderer Shielded.
After hearing protests from all over
the state Gov. Hart promptly ex
pressed his opinion of the laws anc
Of the people. He granted an executive
parole to another rich man, Johr
Soudas, nominally that he might be
deported. Soudas murdered a woman
in Seattle in 1915 and cut her tc
pieces. He was convicted of first
degree murder He escaped from the