The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1927-09-09
ON THE DEATH MASKS OF SACCO
AND VANZETTI
By MICHAEL GOLD

/
: Stuyvesant Casino is just another of our East
Side halls. 1t glitters with too many mirrors, is
loaded with gilt, gewgaws and rocco Cupds, Tyres
and wreaths; it is painfully stylish. The hall pre-
tends like many others to be salon of Louis the
Magnificent, but one is really fooled by the
pretense.
For the hardwood floor is covered with sawdust.
There is dingy barroom where dingy near-beer
is sold. The plentiful gilt trimmings are covered
with fly specks, and just outside the door is Sec
ond Avenue where the loud shirt-sleeved life of
the workers prevails.
Club OF Jewish and Italian gangsters hold their
social" dances in this hall. Wailing Jewish or
chestrars have played Bulgars and Kazatskys at
many Jewish wedding here. There have been
rivers and oceans of democratic-republican speech
es flowing here. Meetings of Communists and
socialists, too, and in many strike of the needle
trade workers this has been a strike headquarters
blue with smoke, and strewn with banana peels
Today it has been converted, this hall of many
changes, into shrine of the East Side workers.
The death masks of Sacco and Vanzetti are on
view For two days now about $4,000 workers.
men, women and children-have passed silently
with barred heads before the platform on which the
masks are resting. There is a quiet a reverence
a strange solemnity such as this raucous hall has
never witnessed
He also said Long Live Anarchy" He also
said, MY love to my children, my dear wife" He
may have said other things, but they are not re-
ported He may have repeated the word of Cam
bronze; he may have looked beyond the walls Of
the execution chamber and beheld the vast armv of
capitalist judges, college presidents. governors
edltors ministers and millionares, and flung at
them the word of Cambronne: Merde! It is not
reported, but it is there in his last smile.
Vanzettl is serene. There is beautiful calm on
MS long austere face 1t is the peace of a dream
err who has not dreamed in vain Vanzetti was
man filled with the poetry of the revolution. In
his great heart there was all the patbos Of tbe
present, and the glory of the future. When he
died, ne was sure of the future. When he died he
was sure of the revolution. His blue steadfast
eyes were filled with visions of the workers world
All his years of agony were not in vain. All his
dark hours in the Geath-house were not in vain He
aid not forgive his judges and ailors at the last.
no. ne never forgave capitalism. But he forgave
the revolution which had chosen him for one of its
martyrs; which had led him to the electric chair:
ne was sure it was not in vain.
" eli STARE at The two significant masks
ana go away thoughtfuly. They will grow up and
remember And the workers who file bv so
sclemnly will remember. And history will re-
member and this crude, gilt workers hall will be
remembered.
DIX workers, men and women, stand constantly
as guard OF honor on each side of the platform.
AAey are dressed In vivid red bouses There are
any number of flowers red roses and carnations
banked about the masks. These come from differ
en' unions and labor organizations. The smell of
the dying flowers fills the room.
There is red bunting, and touches of black
mere is memorial sculpture, with square work.
er 1lst Juttlng out of it. And dozen COPS swing
tnen cluDs IDLY and lounge about, marvelng at
THIS strange solemn atmosphere
Inc workers go by slowly, staring thoughtfullv
q. the masks. They come all day and night, some
Oh tnem before going to work, others weary after
q Jay IN the shops. There are many school chill
uieh' thousands OF them. 1t is a spectacle for
" cAei"' everyone on the East Side has heard of
0@cco ana Vanzetti' and they are curious
liner care almost million people on the East
oiue' ana II is safe to say the vast majority of
Unehl even When not radical, have been stirred nv
'ie leeal murder of Sacco and Vanzetti. Thew
may noC understand the broad issues involved bnt
WIN sure proletarian instinct they feel the in.
9us'ice meted out to two fellow-workers, two fell
iow-lmmlgrants IN the Promised Land.
Inc death masks are white and still under tho
STARE Oh SO many eyes. Sacco, in death as in life
mas MS scOrnful defiant smile of brave WORKER
mere was humor in this man; as he seat down
N ene electric chair he greeted the frock-coated
uena''lrles about him with satirical: "GOod ev-
ening, Gentlemenw