The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-22
I0ULD INCREASE
over TO FRAME:
JP ALL WORKERS
Ian to Use Measures
in Strikes

ALBANY, N. Y, Feb. 21.-A
hole series of bills, nine in num-
II. introduced in the New York
ate Legislature by the Baumes
rime Commission, are designed to
llwark still more the power of capt.
list judges, to undermine even the
'etense of fairness now held up as
screen of class rule in the form of
ial by jury, and to menace mill
mt workers on trial with various
rts of legal trickery now not al
wed.
Undermine Jury Trial.
One bill authorizes the defendant
waive trial by jury and resign
IS fate to the tender mercy of a
ldge alone, if he can be talked into
wing his consent. The Baumes
commission gives a great deal of
Ike arguments about this proposal
{ how advantageous" it is sup
osed to be to the defendant, to
ave nice TRAINED mind" of a
apitalist judge to decide his fate,
.lso, it remarks, the public" will
ct a reduction in expenses" in
utting away the victims of CAPT
alist society.
Another bill is designed to re-
trict the operation of the statute
f limitations so that prosecution
an go on in spite of the time limit
aving expired.
Preiudicial Practices.
Two more bills have the same eff
ect; to allow the defendant and his
efense to be browbeaten an d
laligned by both the prosecutor and
he judge without let or hindrance
ow somewhat restraining such ac-
ions. One allows the prosecutor to
tack the defendant before the jury
n case the defendant does not sub
nit to being cross-examined and
rowbeaten during the course Of the
rial.
The other bill allows the judge to
lct as prosecutor, to legally throw
side the sham as an impartis |
eferee between defense and accuser,
md say anything he wishes at all
tages of the trial, to butt in any
where and interfere with the defense
1efore the jury, and thus prejudice
he case in the eyes of the jury by
hrowing the prestige of the judges
1wn opinion against one side or the
)ther.
Strikes at Workers.
Another bill limits the right to
enter an appeal to thirty days in
place of sixty days now given. This
will often hit at workers framed up
Who must raise money for printing
he record and paying large fees be-
'ore the time expires for appeal.
Still another bill provides for the
establishment of a state school for
police, to make capitalist repression
more efficient.
Then there is one bill aimed to
help crooked bankers who accept
savings accounts knowing that their
bank is insolvent. At present the
law states that if such deposit is
S25 or over, accepting it under
such circumstances is felony. The
proposed bill raises the sum to
800, and makes acceptance by bank
rupt bankers of any smaller sum
than $500 only misdemeanor.
Punished Twice.
All the above proposed bills are
to the main Baumes
Law, by which convicted person
does not discharge his obligation by
serving his sentence, but is auto
punished with greater
severity if convicted of any offense
at any later date than would be the
usual sentence for the second of
tense considered by itself, as in the
case of a first offender.
After three convictions, the in
famous Baumes Law provides that
The offender must serve life SEN
tence. Under a similar statute in
woman was recently
sentenced to life Imprisonment for
making home brew. Labor leaders,
who have often been framed up are
also menaced with life sentence, if
the capitalist courts repeat the
frame up against them in such cases
as strike conflicts.