The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-04-22

didn't leave him much free tlals
during the day. He was up befors
daylight, and he worked until dark,
peeling vegetables in a dark n-
ventilated room which vas also
used for bathing purposes by the
conVicts who worked in the Of
ficers' and Guards Mess. He'd
been placed on this job for punish
ment because he had issued g. fiery
challenge to his iailorS when boss
owned Governor Young had denied
his pardon.
Usually on Sundays Mooney
would come into the big yard to
see his friends and walk with US.
Sometimes he would be jolly, with
jokes to tell. More often he spoke
of his early life In prison, grim
stories Of his experiences during
those terrible days when he had
occupied a cell on the Death Row.
while the bosses, with the aid Of
the A, F. Of L. traitorous leadership
tried to fashion 3 moose for his
neck. And never did he tire Of
describing how the workers OF the
world, particularly the revolution
airy masses of old Russia, rose IN
mighty protest demonstrations and
compelled the capitalist class OF
America to commute his sentence 10
life Imprisonment.
TOOL OF BANKERS
But mostly he talked Of the work
ing class movement today, its prob
lens and tasks, its failures ana
victories And always, persistently,
he returned to one central theme:
Unity, The workers must unite,
all Of them, socialist, Communist,
trade unionists, unorganized. They
must come together, solidly welded
into fighting united front, based
on common program OF struggle.
That's the way to victory ."
MOONEY was not surprised when
wi Governor Rolph denied his par
don. He had known Rolph and
his connections for q long time.
He remembered how Rolph, as
Mayor Of San Francisco, posted the
first reward for the capture Of
those responsible for the bomb ex-
plosion"; hoy Rolph had silently
approved OF every step taken in
the frame-upS, how Rolph had
been forced TO listen to q first
hand account Of all the details OF
that frame-up from the lips Of
policeman Draper Hand, who had
been the chief coacher Of the per-
tUred witnesses. Rdph had done
nothing Also he knew how Rolph
as q banker. Businessman ard
politician was part snd parcel Of
the corrupt and vicious Pacific Gas
and Electric Company, the corpora
ton which had taken the lead in
the bosses war against the work
ers, long standing war in Cali
fornia in which the frame-up Of
Mooney and Billings had been a
major campaign. No, Rolpfis ds-
cision was no surprise to Mooney
he had no illusions.
His answer was sharp and clear:
his decision" he said, Is q cta1-
lenge thrown into the teeth Of this
working class. And the workers
win accept the challenge -
Mooney was right. The workers
did accept it. Everywhere they
held giant protest meetings, mass
demonstrations Brave 64-year old
Mother Mooney travelled halfway
round the world and back, rallying
the masses to the defense of her
boy. It was a hard trip for her,
but it was just as hard for Tom
I know that there were many nights
when he could not sleep, worrying
for the safety Of his mother.
MY CONFIDENCE
WITH WORKERS"
But Mother Mooney came back.
and she brought with her the
pledge Of hundreds OF thousands o.
workers to fight with greater g.
termination than ever before.
TOM issued his call for a united
struggle s. short time before !
was released from San Quentin.
We shook hands the day I left,
and l said, Tom, it won't be so
very long before wen be meeting
again, outside these walls"
Perhaps you're right" he re-
piled slowly, s. if the workers will
unite. They must come together
and fight together. They can
and / think they will. MY con-
fidence is with the workers"
Less than a month later, the
workers proved that Moneys con-
fidence was not misplaced Their
response to Toms call for unity
was so great, their mass pressure
so powerful, that the bosses OF
California we're compelled to grant
a new trial to Mooney.
1t is no doubt a victory, and the
first step to Moneys freedom.
But the fight has only begun, must
be intensified a hundred-foId. The
Chicago Free Tom Mooney Conf
gress", April 80 to May 2, must be
made into gigantic living mani
festation Of the united front OF
struggle.