The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-07-10

of a part of pamphlet published
by the Mopr Press, Berlin, called
"The Crimes of the Fascist Inquisi-
ton. IS. Al
|.
The Life of Sozzi
| rASTCNE SOZZI was born of
socialist family, in Cessna on
March 7, 1903. The twenty-five
years of his life was consecrated to
the ideals and hopes of the proleta-
riat. From his childhood on he ex-
perienced the bitterness of the class
struggle. Mussolini, who at this
time still played revolutionary, was
the leader of the socialist movement
in the territory of Forli and was a
frequent visitor in the Sozzi home.
AS a guest of the Sozzi family IN
Cessna, this coming leader of the
Blackshirts, elated over the pre-.
cocity Of the little Gastone, assured
the father that a future as q nrac-
teal revolutionary fighter awaited
the ycungster. Mussolini knows
from the reports of his sheriffs that
Sozzi remained until his death on
heroic revolutionary fighter.
In his early youth he enlisted in
the ranks of the socialist move
ment. In 1921 he joined the Com
munist Party and became secretary
CT the Young Communist League in
the province of Forli When fascisn
first lifted its head Sozzi stood in
the front ranks of fighters against
the armed bands of Blackshirts.
The workers who knew him remem-
Der his zeal and his passion; bu.
they also remember his nerve and
his courage in battle against the
enemy. In the fire of the civil war
which accompanied the March on
Rome" GastoEe Sozzi had learned
how to unite the enthusiasm of
fighter with the GOODNESS of a revo-
lutionary leader, who must know
all the difficulties of battle.
Hated, hunted, he was forced in
1922 to go into hiding for the first
time in order to escape the police.
who had cooked up a false charge
against him and other workers of
Fori for the murder of fascist.
Sent by his party to the Lenin In
stitute in Leningrad, he excelled as
a student fired by a revolutionary
proletayian spirit. In the meantime
the charge of the police was openly
discred;ted Towards the end of
1924 Sozzi could return to Italy.
After year Of military service he
placed himself again at the disposal
of his party. Forced to live as an
illegal" he was very active in the
Communist Party, and was the ed
itor of the Illegal paper, "The Prole-
tartan Child
The Martyrdom of Gastone Sozzi in
the Prison of PerugIa
THE bloody strike of Gallarate (Oc-
tober, 1920, in the course of
which two workers were killed, the
broadening Of the labor movement
in Venice, in the province of Milan
and in Piedmont let loose a new
wave of terror against the working
class. The pressure of the police
grew. The arrests and raids were
no longer to be counted. On No
vcmber d, 1927, Gastone Sozzi fell
into the hands of the police in Milan.
He spent a few weeks in the prison
of San Vittore. At the beginning
of December he was transferred to
the prison of Perugia by six plain
clothes men. In spite of his strong
constitution the countenahce Of
Sozzi gave evidence of great suffer
ing. His face bore signs Of blows.
In Perugia he was confined in an
underground cell, which was ordi-
: narily used as punishment for those
who attempted escape. Sozzi was
not permitted to write to his fam
lily, 60 they knew nothing about his
arrest or his transfer to Perugia.
Immediately after Sozzi's arrival
at Perugia there came TO this small!
Umbrian town General Ciardi, mill
tary head Of the Special Court, and
an inspector from the state depart
ment. SoGzi was considered respon-
sible for large part Of the illegal
deeds Of the Communist Party
Sozzi, therefore, "knew" something;
he must speak" The martyrdon
OF Gastone Sozzi began,
Was Tortured
He yas at first submitted TO I
preliminary examination by his in