The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-04-18
Thousands Meet to Free
SaccO and VanZetti


President Coolidge, who was governor
of that state when the frame-up was
concocted; Mussolini, the bloody
monster of fascism in Italy and other
prominent agents of capitalism and
Imperialism throughout the world
were mentioned.
Cheer Victims of Capitalism.
Every mention of the names Of
Sacco and Vanzetti and other victims
of capitalist class justice in this
country was cheered to the echo.
Sea of Banners.
Blocks away from the demonstra-
ton the sea Of banners carrying de-
nunciations of those guilty of the
persecution Of Sacco and Vanzetti
could be seen; butbursts of cheering
reechoed much farther; puzzled
capitalists slowed up their motor
cars as they passed the adjacent
streets. 1t had been very long time
since such demonstration was staged
in the city of New York.
The spirit of the crowd was mill
tant, defiant. Hundreds of police
men, on foot and horseback patrolled
the outskirts Of the crowd, while, ac-
cording to reports many detectives
mingled with the demonstrators. On
the opposite side of 18th street motor
cycles with bullet-proof shields were
lined up, facing the crowd. But the
masses conducted themselves as
though they were totally unaware of
this show of force.
Objected to Sign.
Of the many signs carried, only
one incurred the wrath of the police.
That was a sign reading 1--WE Demand
the impeachment of Judge Thayerl"
This was ordered taken down and the
order was obeyed, as it was recog-
nized that the officer giving the or
der did not even know who Judge
Ihayer is. Being well-trained Tam
many henchmen they are supposed to
protect judges of all stripe against
open expression of mass contempt
for them and their decisions.
Many Prominent Speakers.
At one o'clock the general chair
man of the meeting, Robert w. Dunn
of the Civil Liberties Union, assembled
one of the platforms and was I'M
mediately followed by the other chair
men, Jack Stachel, I Winokour and
Morris e. Taft. Announcing the
purpose of the meeting, speakers
were introduced and spoke in five
languages-English, Italian, Hun
garian, Yiddish, and German.
All of the speakers covered some
outstanding phase of the case d
connected it up with the general as
saults of the ruling class against the
foreign-born workers; others assailed
the general imperialist ravages of
the government in China, Nicaragua,
Mexico and the Philippines, showing
that the Sacco-Vanzetti case was a
part of the general struggle against
despotism everywhere.
Trial Witness Speaks.
One of the speakers was Frank ].
Burke, a witness at the Sacco and
Vanzetti trial, who was but ten feet
away from the crime charged against
the two men. He declared that the
men he saw commit the crime at
South Braintree on April Is, 1920,
were not Sacco and Vanzetti. He was
greeted with prolonged cheering.
Carlo Tresca who, from the beginning
of the case has worked tirelessly for
the release of Sacco and Vanzetti,
spoke and again related some Of the
outstanding facts of the frame-up.
Displays Electric Chair.
Charles Cline, recently released
from a life sentence in Texas after
serving thirteen years for participa-
ting in the struggle of the Mexicans
for freedom, displayed a miniature
electric chair that was made by one
of the "lifers" in the Texas prison.
This made a profound impression
upon all those able to see it.
Among other speakers were:
Forrest Bailey, director of Civil Lib
critics Union, Bishop Paul Jones,
Leonard Abbott, James p. Cannon,
secretary Of the International Labor
Defense; Scott Nearing, Paxton Hib-
bon, M. G. 0lgin, McAlister Coleman,
Carlo Tresca, II. M. Wicks, one Of
the editors of The DAILY WORKER;
Enea Sormenti, editor of the Italian
Communist paper, II Lavoratore;
Louis Hyman, Bert Wolfe, director
of the Workers School; Rebecca
Grecht, r. B. Moore, William w.
Weinstone, Richard Brazier, A. Ra-
muglia, Lena Chernenko, one of the
leaders of the Passaic strike; Charles
Kiss, Editor of "Elore," Ludwig Lore,
and James Walsh.
Many Slogans Displayed.
Some of the slogans, among the
many that We're displayed on placards
held aloft were Freedom for Sacco
and Vanzetti," Massachusetts JUS
tice Wants Sacco and Vanzetti Murd-
cred; They are not Guilty. Persecu-
ton of Workers Must Stop" Work