The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-11-26


demonstration for the release of
John Porter and against imperial
is 10or.
THE COURT: Call the next wit
ness.
(The witness left the stand.)
THE CLERK: Benjamin S.
Thomas. Hold UP your hand. Do
you swear or affirm?
THOMAS: l affirm.
THE COURT: Confine yourself
to the charge that is here for con-
sideration.
I Whereupon Benjamin S. Thomas,
another witness presenting himself
in his own behalf, after being duly
affirmed, testified as follows:
Direct Statement.
I think before I do this it is nee
essary to make a little explanation,
because l may appear nervous, and
am rather, because of not having
eaten since Saturday, except a cup
Of coffee this morning, and that was
/ necessarily due to the filthiness and
over-crowded condition of the cells.
+ THE COURT: Confine yourself
TO the charge here. If you wish to
make any complaint along that line
there is another tribunal that takes
charge of that matter.
Stands by John Porter.
THOMAS: l am a union machin-
list, representing the workers of the
Communist Party of America. |
came down here to present reso-
luton to the secretary Of war for
! the purpose of releasing John Por-
ter. l did it because I am a mem
Der of the working class, and l am
/ conscious Of the fact that John Por-
ter is member of the same class
as l am, and an injury to hirl is
on injury to me. ! stand with John
Porter in all that he stands for. /
stand for everything that the other
members of this committee have
stated here today.
( Court Afraid of Soviet Union.
| happened to have an ouportun-
/ ity last winter to visit the first
workers republic in the world, Sow
let Russia
THE COURT (interposing) That
is not part of the charge here. Con-
fine yourself to the charge.
THOMAS: Well, l came down
here and walked as a demonstra-
tor, and as one who wished to pre-
{ sent petition in defense Of John
Porter, because John Porter was ar
rested because he led a strike
Mr.. GIVEN (interposing) Now,
if your Honor please, the witness
is going off again in the same man
ner as all these other witnesses have
done. He should confine himself to
the issue here.
THE COURT: You. are going off
on irrelevant matters.
By Mr.. Given:
V. Dlu CWO VI IhLSc VI yOu COIic
down quietly and try to give the
petition to the secretary of war?
A. We came down quite quietly
@. Interposing) Did you go in
to present it the same as others do?
A. No; we did not get that far
We were arrested before we got
that far.
Q. You came with banners, par
aiding the streets, before you tried
to present any petition.
Would Do 1t Over Again"
A. We were so peaceful that the
Intelligence Department of the
United States government did not
know we were here, except as if we
had sprung from nowhere, and we
/ just came down the PENNSYLVANIA
Avenue. AS I say, I am fully con-
scious of what ! did. and I would
do the same thing over again if the
opportunity presented itself, and if
/ necessary, because there were sew
eral reductions in wages in the
Massachusetts textile mills
MR.. GIVEN (interposing): Your
Honor
THOMAS (continuing) And
John Porter was one of our lead
ers-
Mr.. GIVEN Gnterposing) If
your Honor please, the witness is
not answering the question nor con-
filming himself to the issue.
THOMAS (continuing): And he
was leading the workers
MR.. GIVEN (interposing): If
your Honor please
THOMAS (continuing): in an
effort to get higher wages and to
improve their conditions
MR.. GIVEN (interposing): /.
think your Honor is familiar with
the purpose Of these people, as so
plainly shown when they are given
an opportunity to testify IL they
wish to do so.
DTIJE COJrpT. w., -. -. r..