Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-07-28
MARTYRED FRENCH CAPTAIN WILL
PLEAD FOR SACCO AND VANZETTI

PARIS, July 81, lP-Alfred Drey-
fuS, of Devils island fame, Lieutenant
Colonel retired, in the French army
may go to the United States to plead
the cause of Sacco and Vanzetti, un-
der sentence of death for murder in
Massachusetts.
Dreyfus, who spent several years on
Devils island, the penal colony in
French guiana on charges of treason,
which later were proven false, has
accepted membership on a committee
whose announced intention is to pro-
ceed to America to give all possible
aid to the two convicted, men.
"A square deal for Sacco and Van
zetti," said Drefus today is all that
prompted him to join the committee.
you can readily understand that
my situation prevents me from Civ
ing you an interview" he added but
I'm heart and soul involved in this
case"
DrefuS is living as inconspicuouSly
as possible, and appeared ponplused
when confronted by the Associated
Press correspondent who inquired as
to his actual intention.
please keep me out of any politics" I"
he said in appealing tones, his right
hand raised as if warding off a blow
Il was asked if would join COM
mittee to proceed to the United States
to see that a miscarriage of Justice
was not completed asquiesed. That
is all there is to it,"
Are you going to America, if the
committee goes,'' he was asked
"YeS," said DrefuS.
AS matter of fact the part which
Dreyfus will play in the prospective
action of the committee, is dependent
on whether the committee selects him
as a member of representative dele
cation, Up to the present he has
agreed simply to serve on the COM
mittee, which has not yet discussed
the composition of its delegation. This
acceptance was obtained only after
guarantees were given that this was
not a POLITICAL but merely a human
move to help Sacco and Vanzetti
Dreyfus personally supervised the
rewriting of an official communique
which the newspaper L'Oeuvre Quotld-
len will publish tomorrow morning
The communique reads:
ut is not within our province to
mix up in what the American people
can consider it's private business. We
admit that the case is one that has
to do only with national sovereignty
but we appeal to you intelluctuals,
professors, lawyers and artists Of
America and ask you to be our in
terpreters toward your government.
"A country, which heretofore has
been known as the cradle of fair
play (the words "fair play appear
in English in the text must take
into account the worlds opinion.
Were Sacco and Vanzetti executed,
everyone of you who tomorrow are
coming to France would be received
with the usual welcome but there
would be between us chill, shame,
that neither you nor we could under
stand"
Jean Plot, of the newspaper
L'Oeuvre Quotidien, who wrote this
memorandum subject, he said, to the
approval of thousands of his follow
erS (Socialists) said: "This is not
threat against American tourists, it
is just warning what may happen"
The communique continues: "We re-
prove anarchy, bolsheYisIn, violence,
but it seems to us that if there is
doubt about the cu1pability of Sacco
and Vanzetti they should not De exc
cuted. Everything that has transpired
since their sentence has reinforced
doubt, instead of confirming the
conviction. We ask you intellectuals
that the Sacco- -Vanzetti execution be
postponed until a, complete revision of
their case be made" I"
This appeal will be signed ~ Drey-
fuS, the Countess of Noailles, Louis
Malvy, former Minister of the inter-
ior, Louis Louchour, former Minister
of Finance, Leon Jouhaux, president
of the French federation Of labor,
General Verraux and many other
prominent names.