The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-08-20
Senator Borah Is Right, But

Senator Borah Is Right, But -
Miss Jane Adams famous Chicago humanitarian,
elegraphed Senator Borah seeking to enlist him in
the effort to prevent the eectrocuton Of sacco and
Vanzetti.
Senator Borah, in replying said: ut would be a
national humiliation. shameless cowardly compro-
mise OF national courage to pay the slightest atten-
ton to foreign protests mob protests at home
Neither humanity peace can be served
by deferring to foreign criticism or mob violence in
the execution of our criminal laws"
Senator Borah is right He is right in the main
at least, although the point made by the President
of Portugal in his message to President Coolidge de-
serves consideration
The Portuguese President appealed for conlmu-
tation Of the death penalty in the case of Celestino
Madeiros, Sacco- Vanzetti witness on the ground
that in Portugal Madeiros' home country life i'm
prisonment is the most severe sentence permissible
under the law. Portugal has treaties with many
countries excepting Portuguese subjects from the
death penalty, but happens not to have such treaty
with the United States. The Portuguese President
believes electroc,ition of Madeiros will have bad
effect public opinion-toward the United States
in the home country. 1t is not an unreasonable view
But, as said, Borah is right in the main. There
can be justice if mob clamor is permitted to upset
the DEGREES of the courts.
Yet this newspaper believes the sentence of Sacco
and Vanzetti should be commuted to life imprison-
ment 1t believes that by perssting in the decree of
DEATH the courts of Massachusetts, not increas-
ing respect for the courts but decreasing it,
This is so because the evidence which the con-
viction was obtained is utterly unconvincng to thou
sands of fair-minded men who have studied pains
takingy with no other object than to ascertain the
truth.
1t is so because the whole course of proceedings
in Massachusetts, have seemed to be based on de-
termination to carry the courts decree regardless
of possible mistake.
1t is one thing to say that courts should not be
irtimdated by popular clamor 1t is another to say
that courts must go through with mistakes Just to
prove that they cannot be ntinidated Any system
Of justice that follows the latter theory is laying the
ground for its own destruction
Who among our readers will say that any man
should be put to death while there remains reason
able doubt of his guilt? None, we trust Yet the
doubt concerning the guilt of Sacco and vanzetti in
the minds Of many careful students of the case is
SO great that it amounts to conviction that they
are innocent
The Governor of Massachusetts, should commute
the sentence to life imprisonment
Suppose after the death of Sacco and vanzetti
there should be revealed-as is quite possble-evi-
dence to their innocence beyond question What
will be the feeling of Massachusetts concerning its
system of justice? What will be the feeling of the
country? The world?
Flow many more anarchists will have been created?
The Italians have renamed Mt. Blanc Mt. Musso-
ln but 1t would have been more appropriate to re-
name Mt. vesuyius, which is famous for the hot stuff
it shoots off.
Coolidge waited till Wall Street was closed before
choosing not to run 1t was also considerable Of
him to wait till the straw hat season was nearly over
The Russian anarchist who was captured in New
York barber shop probably thought that was the last
place police would ever look for him.
There are only two kinds of people in the United
States: Those who believe Coolidge will not run a
1928 and those who believe that he will
Lindbergh has been made policeman in Chicago
Just what is the honor of being cop in that town?
Break into song II you will. but keep cut of
strange fats