The daily worker., 1926-06-12

me; why don't you buy my cart, my
knives, my scales, and go selling fish
instead Of remaining under the yoke
Of the bosses?" l grasped the oppor-
tunity, and so became a fish-vender,
largely out Of love for independence.
A T that time, 1919, the desire to see
L 4 once more my dear ones at home,
the nostalgia for my native land had
entered my heart. My father, who
never wrote a letter without inviting
me home, insisted more than ever, and
my good sister Luigia joined in his
pleas. Business was none too fat, but
| worked like a beast of burden, with
out halt or stay, day after day.
December "a, the day before Christ
mas, was the last day sold fish that
year. A brisk day Of business l had,
since all Italians buy eels that day for
the Christmas Eve feasts. Readers
may recall that it was a bitter-cold
Christmas, and the harsh weather did
not let up after the holidays; and
pushing a cart along is not warming
work l went for a short period to
more vigorous, even if no less freez-
ing work. I got Job few days after
Christmas cutting ice for Mr.. Peter.
semi. One day, when he hadn't work
enough to go round, l shoveled coal
for the Electric House. When the ice
job was finished ! got employment
with Mr.. Howland, ditch-digging,
until snow storm made me a man OF
leisure again. Not for longer than a
few hours. I hired myself out Of the
town. cleaning the streets Of the snow,
and this work done, helped clean the
snow from the railroad tracks. Then
l was taken in again by the Sampson
Construction people, who were laying
water main for the Puritan Woolen
Company. l stayed on the Job until it
was finished.
A GAIN found no Job. The railroad
"A strike difficulties had cut off the
cement supply, so that there was no
more construction work going on.
went back to my fish-selling, when
could get fish, because the supply of
that also was limited. When could get
none l dug for clans, but the profit
was lilliputian, the expenses being so
high that they left no margin. In
April reached an agreement with a
fisherman for a partnership. It never
materialized, because on May 5, while
was preparing a mass meeting to
protest against the death Of Salsedo at
the hands of the department of jus
tice, I was arrested. My good friend
and comrade, Nicola Sacco, was with
me.
Another deportation case" we said
to one another.
But it wasn't. The horrible charges
Of which the whole world now knows
were brought against US. was ac-
cused of crime in Bridgewater, con-
victed after eleven days OF the most
farcical trial l have ever witnessed,
and sentenced to fifteen years impri-
onment. Judge Webster Thayer, the
same man who later presided at the
murder trial, imposed the sentence.
There was not a vibration OF sym
pathy in his tone when he did so. l
wondered as listened TO him, why ne
hated me so. Is not a judge supposed
to be impartial? But now l think
know must have looked like a
strange animal to him, being a plain
worker, an alien, and radical to boot.
And why was it that all my witnesses.
simple people who were ANXIOUS 60
tell the simple truth, were laughed at
and disregarded? No credence was
given their words because they, too.
we're merely aliens. The testi-
mony of human beings is acceptable,
but aliens . poohl