The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-04-07
BY EUGENE LYONS

| AEukeuG Lyons COnuuCbSu bHe
| publicity work Of the Sacco-Van-
zetti defense during 1922, the
year Immediately following their
conviction.-Ed.
Massachusetts, has celebrated the
tenth anniversary of Americas entry
in the world war by announcing that
Nicola Sacco and Bartolomco Van
zetti-two working class victims of
the hysteria created by that war
must die in the electric chair. It is
likely that in q few days Judge
Thayer will wind up seven years
job by pronouncing the sentence of
death and setting date for the
execution.
Verdict No Surprise
The action of the Massachusetts
Supreme Court does not come as
surprise to those familiar with the
history Of the case. In sustaining an
outrageous decision by Judge Thayer
on the latest motion for a new trial,
the august tribunal was merely say
ing ditto" 1t sustained the irate
and vindictive old Judge on a long
series of decisions equally outrageous
in the past.
One lesson at least the latest cpl
sode in the legal farce should leave
with us, and that is the futility and
foolishness of optimism.
There was every outward reason
for believing that the courts would do
something to save their reputation.
A perfectly respectable and conserva-
tive lawyer was in charge of the
legal defense. The New York World,
the Boston Herald, the Baltimore
Sun-all of the influential and re-
spectacle sheets-came out for new
trial. Men like Prof. Felix Frank
furter said publicly--although some
six years too late--what they knew
privately, that the conviction of the
two Italian radicals was a CHASTITY
farce, that the refusal of new trial
thereafter was based on the violent
prejudices of a judge who helped con-
Wet them.
Courts Always the Same
What could be loyelier? The courts,
usually fair and just, had made a
mistake. They would, of course, cor
rect it. Why all the mass meetings
and parades and trade union resolu-
tons? The process is little long,
which is too bad, but be patient and
everything will turn out right. The
case is now in safe and sane hands,
said Leary of the World 1t has taken
on "new complexion" Frankfurter
announced.
This attitude unfortunately was re-
Elected in the radical and labor move
ment, which should know better. Even
the defense committee itself published
such stuff.
But the latest decision has demon
strated the absurdity Of the attitude.
1t demonstrated that there must be
no let-up in working class protests,
here and throughout the world. The
assistance of conservative lawyers
and college professors and editors is
welcome. But it must not be relied
upon to save Sacco and Vanzetti from
the chair. 1t will be useful only if
it is backed up by a powerful I'M
mistakable working class agitation.
Weakness Of Liberalism
The influence and authority of
meaning liberals and near liberals is
real only on matters that are of no
Importance. Just so soon as they try
to assert themselves on a clear cut
elass-war issue, they learn their own
weakness. 1t took nearly seven years
for some of them to wake up to
fact which was perfectly clear in May
of 1920-that Sacco and Vanzetti
were being railroaded to death be-
cause of their working class activities.
1t was the worldwide labor agitation
which kept these prosecuted workers
alive while the Boston Herald etc.
were asleep. And only continuation
of that agitation, louder and stronger
than ever, will prevent their murder
now.
MORE MASS PROTESTSl MORE
TRADE UNION ACTION IN BE-
HALF OF SACCo AND VANZETTIl
MORE STOPPAGES OF WORK TO
SHOW HOW LABOR FEELS
ABOUT THE EXECUTION!
Workers Must Free Them
The courts, and the governor will
act to save Sacco and Vanzetti only
under pressure from the workers.
William G. Thompson, for all his
standing as conservative leader Of
the bar, received exactly the same
treatment at the hands of the court
as did Fred II. Moore, his predecessor.
Thayer attacked and insulted both Of
them with the same violence-and the
Supreme Court o.k.'d both attacks
quite as readily. The appeals Of the
Boston Herald and the Baltimore Sun
were disregarded precisely as the APP
peals of The DAILY WORKER and a
thousand other labor papers were dis