The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-10-18

LII viz 1OoOANCAOAAs viz W.
itors pledged themselves to
keep the details of the case
before the public until public
confidence in the courts is re-
stored"
The present economic depression.
the editors declared, presented a
temporary, but real national crisis
comparable to a war emergency and
the newspapers pledged themselves
to initiate and cooperate in relief
and employment measures.
A study of the economic situation
was Endorsed, with recognition that
a shorter working week and working
day and insurance Of continuity Of
employment was essential.
Ask Dry Law Repeal
In the field of prohibition. the
editors passed resolution indors-
ing the early repeal of the eight
zenith amendment and declared that
in their judgment a new answer to
the problem of liquor control must
be sought by returning control into
the hands Of the states.
The resolution concerning the
Mooney Billings case follows:
Current news dispatches indi-
cate the probability of an indefinite
delay in the report of the California
supreme court on the recently heard
pardon appeal of Warren K. Bill
ingS. Admittedly the Governor will
not act on the appeal Of Thomas
j. Mooney, jointly convicted with
Billings in the Preparedness day
bombing outrage in San Francisco
in July, 1916, until the supreme
court has reported on the Billings
appeal.
Contempt for Courts Grows
Meantime, a dangerous public
contempt of the courts is growing
as result of a perVersion of justice
that has aroused the condemnation
Of lawyers, preachers, publicists,
editors, and writer's the country over.
Every material witness con-
tributing to the framed-up con-
viction of these two men has been
proved a perjurer. All the living
jurors who participated in the con-
viction of Mooney, together with the
judge who sentenced Billings, now
are convinced of the innocence of
these two men, who have spent
thirteen years in prison.
Both judge and jurors are work
ing for their pardon. Representa-
tives of the prosecution of 1916, APP
pearing at the judicial inquiry last
summer, admitted that they never
had had reliable or direct evidence
to connect these men with the
specific crimes Of which they are
convicted, but justified the con-
viction on the past anti-social
reputation Of the men, who, as labor
leaders, had resorted to violent
tactics at time when such tactics
commonly were employed by both
capital and labor in California.
0ASoH ACtAOu OtbeQ
"The California supreme court.
with the same personnel which now
holds the fate Of Mooney and Bill
ings, is on record with contention
that pardons should be denied these
men because, though possibly not
guilty of the crime themselves, they
should know, but have failed to re-
veal to the police, the names Of
those guilty Of the outrage.
One American chief executive,
on the occasion of another crisis in
this now world-famous case, found
it wise and desirable TO interpose
federal investigation and advice. We
refer to the mediation committee
appointed in the fall of 1918 by
President Woodrow Wilson to in
vestigate impartially the facts in
the case and report thereon to him.
This commission reported that
Mooney had been denied justice and
it recommended a new trial. It was
able to secure only the commute
ton of MONEYS sentence from
death to life imprisonment. The
chief argument utilized by President
Wilson in his appeal 10 the Gov
ernor Of California following the re-
port of his commission was that
such an example Of fragrant injus-
tice would weaken our nations
moral standing before the world as
the champion of democracy and Of
equal justice to all people.
"Once again it seems likely that
Turn to Page 81