The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-10-20
GitlOw, Barred From
Ballot, Makes Reply
Continued from Page One)

NCOHtHCHCU J !ONt Ugt OH6(
quired number of citizens signed a
petition to have my name placed on
the ballot" Gitlow's statement said.
This is the fourth time that the
Board of Elections has shown that
the democracy that the mass of the
people are supposed to enjoy is a
qualified democracy.
"The action Of the Board of Elec-
tons is proof that conviction for a
political offense against the capitalist
class, particularly if such offense con-
sists of defending the interests Of the
working class, is sufficient grounds
for outlawing a citizen ana deprivine
him of his political rights"
A Class War Prisoner.
Gitlow served nearly three years at
Sing Sing Prison for his part in the
organization of the left wing of the
socialist party in 1920. He was con-
victed under the criminal anarchy law.
Gitlow will speak at needle trades
rally of the Workers (Communist)
Party at Bryant Hall, Sixth Ave. and
AID St., next Wednesday, 8 p. m.
Other speakers will be William w.
Weinstone, candidate for alderman,
8th district; Juliet Stuart Poyntz, can
didate for assembly, 18th district,
Manhattan; Ben Gold, manager of the
Furriers' Union Joint Board, and
Charles S. Zimmerman, of the Joint
Board, Cloak and Dressmakers' Union
Gitlow will also address several large
open air meetings throughout the city
Friday night.
Pardon Is Conditional.
Particularly important at this time
is the Interpretation given by the
state attorney general to the pardon
granted me by Governor Smith," Git
lows statement continues. 81 was al
ways under the impression that when
Governor Smith yielded to the demand
of the organized workers together
with sympathizers and friends of the
labor movement for my release that
he granted an unconditional pardon
and therefore restored my citizenship.
The information given to the Board
of Elections by the attorney general
is quite to the contrary.
Smith Not A Liberal.
"If the opinion of the attorney gen.
eral is correct Interpretation, then
the action Of Governor Smith is fully
in line with the repeated actions of the
Board of Elections. 1t is only further
proof that Governor Smith is not the
liberal he processes to be, but the rep
! lesentative of the reactionary capt.
talist forces in the United States to
whom democracy is only democracy
that gives their class the fullest po-
litical privileges and the right to
famass fortunes at the expense of the
workers.
Challenge to Labor.
The action of the Board CT Flee
tons and the conditional pardon of
Governor Smith is challenge to the
organized labor movement to fight to
establish the right for workers can
didates to run for public office, re-
gardIess of their victimization by the
capitalist courts The action of the
Board of Elections also, opens up the
whole question Of political prisoners
and the vicious, tyrannical, criminal
anarchy law and other such laws
which make it possible to send work
or to prison for 10 years for the ex-
precision of an opinion.
VIII Continue the Fight.
"The action Of the Board of Flee
tons and the conditional pardon
granted by Governor Smith will not
keep me out Of the political field. The
action makes possible the waging of
determined and energetic campaign
against a rotten reactionary system,
typified by my disbarment. Such ac-
ton is part of the whole brutal class
role of so-called American democracy
against the working class. Witness
the police brutality in strikes against
starving workers, the issuance of in
functions, the falling of pickets, and
the whole scope of the American
Plan against labor
Against the Board Of Elections,
Governor Smith, and all champions of
the American Plan, l will continue
to fight uncompromisingly and with
all my energy"