BourgeoisieCapitalismSocialismStrikeWorkers MovementWorking Class

THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE December 7, 1918 The Quality of Clemency RECENT developments in the Mooney case clear tain specific records show the mistake. It would of the same general character would be a work ly demonstrate two things, both of which are be interesting to know whether the Supreme of supererogation, lending increased bulk to an of supreme importance to the workers of this Court of the United States could take cognizance already long report without adding either to its country: that the forces of Capitalism are relent of a confession by the real criminal or whether strength or its lucidity. In other words, it is not less and that these same forces only understand Mooney would still have to suffer because for the object of the present investigation to see how one language the language of power. sooth, the confession was not in the trial records many instances of frameup can be laid to the acFor two and a half years the Mooney case has or because he is a representative of the de count of the district attorney; what is important been prominently before the public, not only of spised working class. the United States but of the entire world. It is the quality, rather than the mere amount of When the decision of the court became known evidence adduced, and for this reason one authenis no exaggeration to say that, with the exception the workers decided that they would strike in ticated case will serve as well as a hundred.
of the Dreyfus case in France, no other case has order to prevent the imposition of the death sentbeen so widely discussed. The working class of ence upon which, without more ado, executive each one of which has a bearing upon the question The record establishes three sets of facts, Russia, England, Ireland, Italy, and Holland has. clemency was extended to Mooney to the end at issue, namely, whether Mooney and his fellow taken an active interest in the case and asked that instead of instant death by hanging he should defendants received a fair trial at the hands of that a new trial be granted. Public opinion suffer slow death by imprisonment.
the district attorney. These three sets of facts throughout America has long been on the side of The theory of justice, as advanced by its apol are: the accused. In spite of this wave of protest the ogists, is that an accu First That Fickert is in constant association capitalist interests have persisted in their endeav. he is proven guilty, that guilt must be established or to silence the voice of this man who spoke beyond a reasonable doubt, and that once guilt is with men and interests of such a nature as to against the wrongs perpetrated on his brothers so established the law must take its course unrender it incredible that he should be either imby the system on which these interests batten. less some mitigating circumstances are intropartial or honest in the conduct of a case of this Mooney was convicted and condemned death.
is duced.
nature: that he and has been for some time The case was appealed to the State Supreme Court In accordance with this theory there are no past co operating with notorious jury and case and while the appeal was still pending the perjury grounds upon which clemency should be extended fixers; that, for instance, he is equally guilty with to Mooney. He is convicted of deliberately plan man charged with crimes of degeneracy; and that revealed. This additional evidence was laid be ning and executing the cold blooded slaughter of he has also been working with the same notorifore the Supreme Court but was rejected on a legal technicality and the appeal accordingly de know, and who under no conceivable circum ously corrupt McDonough and Ben Selig to save nied. The governor was then appealed to for stances could be held responsible for giving him from conviction Dave Blaine, an automobile tire thief. These cases are mentioned simply to ilpardon, in order that the case might be retried offence.
on a new count, and in the meantime the case was Governor Stephens in graciously granting evidence is furnished by this report.
lustrate his common practice, of which abundant carried to the United States Supreme Court. clemency says: There are certain features From the breakdown of the prosecution chief connected with it (the evidence in the case) which Second That Fickert and his associates have witness it was evident that the whole case was a convince me that the extreme sentence should within the past month framed, and conspired to frame up, the character of the witnesses was such not be executed. The only features that could frame, cases with which it was his sworn duty to that the prosecution case against the three re have any bearing on the case are those which deal impartially.
maining defendants fell through. It was proved would throw a reasonable doubt upon the guilt Third That Fickert and his associates, withby the defense that the underworld had been of the accused and under the law, which Governor in the past month, have conspired to fabricate scoured to find human beings vile enough to gwear Stephens has sworn to uphold, those features evidence with which to convict Mrs. Mooney; and away Mooney life for a paltry bribe, that, in ad would void the whole sentence and set Mooney that to this end they have attempted, in the grossdition to bribery, force became necessary before free. There is no middle course in this case; est manner, to intimidate and blackmail a proseven these drags of society could be persuaded to either Mooney guilt is established beyond a pective woman witness.
testify, and that the whole case was the work of reasonable doubt or it is not. In the former case It will be apparent that these facts, which are whom Mooney, in capacity as an the vernor of the State of California, according brought out exha stive the present reorganizer of labor and a fighter for the common to the laws of that state, should not interfere, in port, tend to supplement the revelations already good, had defied. Yet the governor of one of the the latter case Mooney should go free.
made in the Oxman letters, and that they confirm greatest states in the union was silent in answer The governor also speaks of reviewing certain the impression, made unavoidably by the weak to the appeal that he step forward and cry halt to developments following the conviction. What and conflieting nature of the testimony in the this crime against the workers.
are these certain developments. The San Fran bomb case, that practically the whole of Fickerts The Supreme Court spoke with the voice of re cisco Call on November 22, several days before case against Mooney, Billings and Mrs. Mooney was brought to light which it would be well for seven pages of certain developments under the The certain developments that lead Mr. Dengthe masses of the people to consider carefully, viz: heading Fickert is Trapped by Dicta more to the conclusions above stated lead the that the judicial system at present operating can phone, which it takes from the report of governor to commute Mooney sentence to life convict but cannot rectify, at least in the case Densmore, Director General of Employment, imprisonment. Such clemency is an insult to where the interests of the working class are at to Secretary of Labor Wilson.
the workers of this country and above all it is an stake; that justice is all a matter of time and re In summing up his report, which is chiefly the insult to Mooney, whose only crime is that he loves cord and that no subsequent happenings can alter transcript of conversations between Fickert, the his fellowman.
its mandate.
District Attorney in the case, and his associates The threat of the workers produced clemency. Such a judiciary ceases to be a tribunal of jus obtained by means of a dictaphone placed in the the execution of that threat will bring freedom to tice and becomes an instrument of tyranny. The Fickert private office, Mr. Densmore says: Mooney and save the organized labor movement Spanish Inquisition, the English Star Chamber, For the purpose of this report no further of this country from lasting shame and disgrace.
could, at least, liberate their victims wh mis transcript of these dictaphone conversations is Mooney has already lain too long in jail. Exetakes were proven, but not so our present legal deemed necessary. It can readily be understood cute the threat. Speak in the terms of your ecosystem. Its decisions are unalterable unless cer that merely to pile up a multiplicity of incidents nomic might. Set Mooney free.
the Socialism the Hope of all Sides RANT as they may, the apologists of Capitalism Socialists that for a time held the outside world the masses of the world disinherited are also must face the unpleasant fact that Socialism in awe of the stupendous change. Kerensky, Tsere slowly, but surely, turning to Socialism. And for is the predominant factor in the changes that telli, Skobelev, Tchernov, mou Socialistic pla them Socialism neans a clean sweep complete are at present writing the pages of history. Even titudes about moderation, coalition, evolution, overthrow of the present system of society and where revolution is not marching on to action just today in Germany Ebert, Haase, Scheide in its place the establishment of a new order. As Socialism holds the center of the stage.
mann hold the center of the stage and sing the the bourgeois Socialists lounge round the tables In Russia where the proletarian revolution has same songs.
of the old autocrats, they lose hold on the masses.
conquered power, Socialism is definitely in the In the countries where the masses of the people In Russia, for a time, Kerensky stayed the march ascendancy, and in Germany where the masses are not in action Socialism is also the dominant of progress but events forced him to take a deare beginning their march to the final agsault on factor. In France Socialists rise to high places finite stand and when he was revealed as the the citadel of power, Socialism is the driving po in the government. Briand, Viviani, Guesde are friend of the old order, the people rose, and in wer behind the marchers. But before the Russian names to conjure with. In England although the their wrath swept him into the outer darkness for workers dominated the scene Socialism became highest peaks of governmental fame are not, as all time. In Germany the situation is paralleled.
the fad of the day, even as now it is the rage in yet, marked by the feet of Socialists yet the The advocates of moderation, the disciples of the Germany.
high valleys, the foothills of fame, are thronged patchwork theory, rise to power, but the masses The reactionaries, caught in the swirl of rev with Socialists. Henderson, McDonald, Barnes, begin to move and compromise follows comproolution, cast about for some means to stem the Hyndman, Clynes. High official circles in Holland mise until, like Kerensky, they and the system rising waters. Liberals were rushed into the lime have a bowing acquaintance with Troelstra. Ita they desire to mend will vanish in obscurity.
light, as evidence of the rebirth of one time auto ly Capitalism looks with favor on Bissolati, Mu Socialism is a two edged sword. It sweeps forcrats, and as quickly rushed into the outer dark ssolini, Ambris. The best people in Belgium ward and backward: backward, cutting all conness, when it was found that the liberal stage had smile benignly on LeMann, Vandervelde, La Fon nection with the past, forward, cleaving the way been swept away with autocracy. Friends of the taine. From Australia Hughes and his friends, for the new order.
people, were held up to the public gaze only to sit at the council tables of the mighty, while The reactionary forces may flirt with Socialism, be speedily pulled down and at last Socialists were kings and foreign potentates dine and wine with may dangle Socialism and Socialists before placed in supreme power and everyone became a Gompers, Bohn and Spargo.
the eyes of the people, but the vivid history of the Socialist.
Strange as it may appear all these Socialists past two years proves that such paltering is fruit Socialists and Socialism became the one have not fought for their prominence; greatness less. Once the people glimpse their power they hope of the reactionaries. Out of the wreck of was thrust upon them. They are the welcome are invincible. With incredible swiftness the autocracy on the rock of the people will some guests of the world elite, and yet they are So mass, so long blind, sweeps the scales away from thing must be saved, and only Socialists and Socialists.
its eyes, and after the first dazzling glare of the cialism could save it. Thus began the array of While all these pleasantries are being exchanged light is over, it sees with amazing clarity.