Open forum, vol. 14, no. 8 (February, 1937)

i

Free Speech - Free Press - Free Assemblage

Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.-Milton

--

Vol. XIV

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, FEBRUARY 20, 1937 No. 8

---ooooooeor -

GALLAGHER FLAYS POLICEMEN

AS PERJURERS IN FREED SUIT

"phe seven police officers who testified in

this trial have perjured themselves. I can

only come to this conclusion after having

heard them tell practically the same illog-

ical story from the witness stand, a story

which contradicts the rational statements

of defense witnesses. It is not a pleasant

task to make such a charge, but I have no

choice."

It was Attorney Leo Gallagher who was

speaking. He was addressing the court in

the concluding argument of the damage

suit of Emil Freed against Sergeant Robert

Anderson of the Los Angeles Police De-

partment. Freed was asking damages be-

cause of an assault upon him in the Hollen-

beck Heights Police Station last September,

following the breaking up of a Communist

campaign meeting at the corner of Brook-

lyn Avenue and Breed Street by members

of the Los Angeles police force. Four per-

sons had been arrested and taken to the

sation. A crowd of sympathizers followed

to inquire as to charges entered against

them and to see that the prisoners were not

beaten up inside the station. Freed was

among this crowd.

When the seven policemen involved in

the affair were put on the stand, they all

solemnly swore that Freed and those ac-

companying him became boisterous inside

the station-so noisy, in fact, by their cries

about Hitlerism and Naziism that the radio

and the telephone in the place could not

beheard-but that immediately upon being

asked to leave they all hushed up and went

quietly outside the station, and that Freed

was not touched by Officer Anderson as he

was leaving. On the other hand, many wit-

nesses denied that there was any unseemly

noise at the police station, and testified that

they saw Mr. Freed grabbed roughly by

Anderson and choked as he was being

pushed out of the station.

Attorney Crandall from the City Attor-

ney's Office appeared as counsel for Officer

Anderson. In his closing remarks to the

court he waved the flag, as is customarily

done in such cases, and pleaded for a judg-

ment in favor of the defendant in order

that Los Angeles might be saved from the

horrors of the red menace. Attorney Galla-

gher ripped to pieces Crandall's pseudo-

patriotic appeal and urged the court to

grant the plaintiff's prayer for damages in

order that police lawlessness in this city

might be properly rebuked and the consti-

tution upheld. "Fascism is threatening us,"

he asserted, "and if-we don't fight it off as it

comes in the form of police violence, we

shall be overwhelmed by it and finally sub-

jected to a dictatorship similar to that

which today is cursing several European

countries,"'

Judge Ingall Bull, before whom the case

Was tried, took it under submission. Judge

ull was formerly county chairman of the

0s Angeles Republican Central Committee

and was appointed to the bench recently by

overnor Merriam.

KILL RIDER ON SENATE PROBES

", Senate liberals last week defeated a

Joker" in the deficiency bill forbidding

eat committees from "borrowing"' per-

onnel of government executive agencies. It

Teatened to cripple such investigations as

le LaFollette inquiry. into violations of

"vil liberties.

Shortly before the rider was killed, the

pecan Civil Liberties Union wired Sena-

am Joseph T. Robinson, Homer T. Bone,

`and yf; Byrnes, Robert M, LaFollette, Jr.,

Hee urton K. Wheeler urging their opposi-

`

J

rs

SENATE COM. UNVEILS LABOR'S FOES

Just before Congress adjourned last June

a committee was appointed by the Senate

"to make an investigation of violations of

the rights of free speech and assembly and

undue interference with the right of labor to

organize and bargain collectively.'' Sena-

tor Robert LaFollette of Wisconsin headed

this committee which was really a subcom-

mittee on Education and Labor. The com-

mittee was asked to "report to the Senate as

soon as practicable the results of its inves-

tigations, together with its recommenda-

tions for the enactment of any remedial

legislation which it may deem necessary."

Only $15,000 was appropriated for the

use of the committee in making its investi-

gations, but by careful economy and by bor-

rowing helpers from other departments of

the government in Washington the commit-

tee has been able to do considerable probing

into violations of civil liberty on the field of

labor.

Recently a preliminary report was sub-

mitted to the Senate. This report contains "

facts that are so shocking and so revealing

as to the methods used in modern industry

to prevent workers from organizing to bet-

ter their condition that we are going to

quote from it.

Firms Under Examination

"Your committee chose first to study the

more concentrated activities of detective

agencies and munitions companies. This,

too, had to be done by sampling. Your com-

mittee selected for examination five of the

largest detective agencies, at least two of

which (Railway Audit and Inspection Co. and

National Corporation Service) are likewise

engaged in strikebreaking, and three muni-

tions companies dominating the industrial

armament market.. These five detective

agencies are: The Railway Audit and Inspec-

tion Co.; Pinkerton's National Detective

Agency, Inc.; National Corporation Serv-

ice; Corporations Auxiliary Co., and the

William J. Burns International Detective

Agency. As of.January 1, 1937, the first

three of these had been called to the stand,

although the Pinkerton hearings have not

been concluded. Of the munitions firms, the

Lake Erie Chemical Co. and the Manville

Manufacturing Co. have been called. Fed-

eral Laboratories, Inc., remains to be heard.

The Detective Business Wraps Itself

in Mystery

"Companies under examination have

tried to block the inquiry by various tactics.

Even without threat of disclosure, the de-

tective business is normally secretive. Lt

keeps its books in code, destroys its records

quickly, uses aliases, designates its opera-

tives by number or false initials, gives blind

addresses, and sends its bills on plain paper

to dummy names. As the general manager

of Pinkerton's testified, it withers when its

industrial operatives are exposed to public

view, as in the State of Wisconsin, where

agencies are compelled to `register their

operatives. Even the necessity to register

employees under the Social Security Act

caused Pinkerton's to change its mode of

doing business. Formerly it paid wages to

informers. Now it buys information by the

piece from previous informers operating as

`free agents.' The change proves no de-

sire to correct or decrease the evils of spy-

ing. In this particular instance your com-

mittee must admit a negative effect of pub-

licizing which can be overcome only by

more exposure and wider study.

Obstructionist Tactics

"Forewarned in April by preliminary

hearings, agencies purged their files before

the August hearings. Apparently caught

napping in the interlude, the Railway Audit

Inspection Co. at the last moment decided

on a drastic course. Subpoenaed to appear

at 10 o'clock on August 21, 1936, six of their

officials failed to answer and were at once

indicted for contempt of the Senate. This

January they were ordered from Pitts-

burgh, Philadelphia, and New York -to

stand trial in the District of Columbia.

After their records had been subpoenaed,

the Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New York, Phila-

delphia and St. Louis offices of this firm tore

them into small pieces and disposed of them

in wastebaskets. Their trash paper was se-

cured and great amounts of it reconstructed

to form substantial evidence for your com-

mittee.

""Avowing fullest co-operation, other de-

tective firms have thwarted the committee

at every step. Pinkertons, after subpoena,

ordered written reports to cease and busi-

ness to be done by word of mouth. Since

the records which your committee secured

by subpoena were, for the most part, frag-

mentary, it has had to prove its case by ex-

amining witnesses who, through fear or

self-interest, testified reluctantly or eva-

sively.

Indications of Size and Profits of Agencies

"The annual dollar volume of the way

dustry is unknown. That it is large is inv

eated by the known gross income of two -

leading companies in the field, Pinkerton

and Railway Audit and Inspection Co., which,

according to evidence, amounted, in the

period under examination, to $6,511,891.

"That it is a highly profitable business is

learned by contrasting the salaries and divi-

dends received by its officials and the going

rate of pay for the two basic operations of

their business, spying and strikebreaking.

Mr. Robert A. Pinkerton, president of the

Pinkerton detective agency, who in 1935

held 70 per cent of its stock, received in that

year $129,500 in dividends. The Pinkerton

rate of pay for information was, before they

stopped paying wages, from $2 to $3.50 a

day, the worker-turned-spy receiving from

$25 to $30 a month, or a dollar a day. Edgar

A. MacGuffin, head of the National Cor-

poration Service, received $36,000 in salary.

The Otis Steel Co. paid the National Cor-

poration Service from $1,000 to $1,400 a

month for work done by spies whose wages

and expenses averaged between $275 and

$300 a month.

(Continued on Page 2)

:

DEATH KNELL FOR McNABOE

RED HUNT IN NEW YORK STATE

Shunted into the Ways and Means Com-

mittee of the New York State Assembly

after it had been forced through the Senate,

a resolution to "revive and extend" the Mc-

Naboe committee set up last year to inves-

tigate ``un-American activities'? in the

schools was apparently doomed to oblivion

last week.

The committee, which was to report by

February 1, has held no hearings and is

said to have spent none of the $15,000 ap-

propriated for the probe.

The American Civil Liberties Union,

which has been fighting the red hunt, last

week revealed that sixteen educational and

civic organizations had wired leaders in the

Legislature protesting against any further

use of public funds or extension of time to

the committee.

fe ee a ee ee ee lao

A ee

PQ

EDUCATORS PLEAD WITH YALE FOR

PROF. JEROME DAVIS' RETENTION

Characterizing the dismissal of Profes-

sor Jerome Davis by Yale Divinity School as

"discrimination founded upon his economic

and political views, thirty leading educators

from universities throughout the country

have appealed to President James R. Angell

for a reconsideration of the case in a letter

made public by the Committee on Academic

Freedom of the American Civil Liberties

Union.

Basing their action on the failure of uni-

versity officials to respond to the statement

of facts in the case recently published in

the New Republic, the educators register

`vigorous protest'? against the "`unusual''

termination of Professor Davis' services and

urge the Yale Corporation to `"`set an ex-

ample of tolerance and judiciousness"' by

reconsidering the case.

Those signing the letter to President An-

gell are: Eduard C. Lindeman, New York

School of Social Work, chairman of the

`Committee on Academic Freedom; Kirtley

`FF. Mather, Harvard; Henry ,Pratt Fair-

child, New York University ; Goodwin Wat-

son, Columbia; E. A. Ross, University of

Wisconsin; Robert D. Leigh, president of

Bennington College; Charles A. Ellwood,

`Duke University; S. Ralph Harlow, Smith

College; Edwin Berry Burgam, New York

University ; Boyd' H. Bode, Ohio State Uni-

`versity; Willard E. Givens, director of the

National Education Association; Reinhold

Niebuhr, Union Theological Seminary ; Ed-

`win E.. Jacobs, Ashland College; William H.

Kilpatrick, Columbia University; Sidney

Hook, New York University; V. T. Thayer, .

Ethical Culture Schools; Horace M. Kallen,

New York School of Social Research; Franz

- Boas, Columbia University; Robert Morss

Lovett, formerly of University of Chicago;

Mary van Kleek, Russell Sage Foundation;

J. M. O'Neill, Brooklyn College; George A.

`(qe formerly of Columbia; Vida D. Scud-

fies Wellesley College; Howard K. Beale,

University of North Carolina; Raymond J.

Walsh, Harvard; Le Roy E. Bowman, Col-

- umbia; Henry R. Linville, president of the

Teachers' Guild; Frederick L. Redefer, di-

rector of Progressive Education Associa-

tion, and Frank E. Baker, president of State

Teachers College, Milwaukee.

The text of the letter to President An-

-gell follows:

"The Committee on Academic Freedom

operating under the auspices of the Amer-

ican Civil Liberties Union has been reluc-

tant to take public action with respect to

the issues precipitated by the unusual ter-

mination of the services of Professor Jerome

Davis by the Yale Divinity School. The

status of the case has, however, been al-

tered by the publication of facts in the New

Republic of November 18th.

_ "Since there has been no response to this

statement on the part of the University's

officials, our committee must assume that

Professor Davis' dismissal represents an

instance of discrimination founded upon his

political and economic views and activities.

Because academic freedom is an essential

element in the nation's heritage of civil

rights we now feel that we must join other

interested citizens in registering vigorous

protest.

"We are thus forced to conclude from

the evidence now available that you as

President of Yale University have yielded

to certain pressures emanating from your

`conservative constituency. It is precisely

such lapses in adherence to the value of

freedom which threaten liberty in general.

The present circumstance is the more sig-

nificant because of the splendid record of

' your University in our academic history. It

* seems to us almost axiomatic that a univer-

sity is to be judged ultimately by the degree

- of freedom which it grants especially to

`such teachers as Professor Davis whose

political and economic activities are regard- -

ed as a `nuisance' by those who insist upon -

' separating education from the dynamics of

' social change.

"If the facts are as they appear and Yale

University persists in this attitude regard-

ing this case, it will appear that the tradi-

tional policy of academic freedom which

this institution has so notably maintained is

to be altered. Consequently, this action is

important to the nation as a whole.

"We assume that action on the part of

the Yale Corporation having been made

public, it will be difficult for you to propose

a reconsideration of professor Davis' dis-

missal. If, however, that course is still open,

may we earnestly implore you to set an

example of tolerance and judiciousness by

grasping this opportunity. Fair-minded

citizens everywhere would, we believe, ap-

plaud such action."'

(Continued from Page 1)

"Strikebreakers' pay is higher, varying

from $6 to $9 and $12 a day, according to

time put in. In the New Orleans street car

strike, where over a thousand strikebreak-

ers were imported, chiefly from Buffalo,

rates varied from the superintendent's $50

a day plus bonus and $50 a day expenses

down to 80 cents an hour for guards.

Vested Interest in Strife

"Both industrial espionage and strike-

breaking thrive on industrial strife. In the

years when unions were making a concerted

drive under the National Industrial Recov-

ery Act and the National Labor Relations

Act, the net income of the Pinkerton agency

leaped from $76,760 in 1933 to $268,703 in

1934 and $248,351 in 1985. Pinkerton's

business was admitted by its general man-

ager to be one-third industrial, a figure

raised to two-thirds by its ex-branch man-

ager from the Southern States.

"This vested interest in trouble is estab-

lished in the agency's method of solicita-

tion. Kept abreast by agency headquarters

of legislation favorable to labor organiza-

tion and well informed ag to likely labor

hotspots by their careful study of the labor

press, Canvassers from agencies constantly

promote business by high-pressure methods.

The branch manager of Railway Audit and

Inspection wrote to a salesman in Ten-

nessee:

"" "Now that the National Recovery Act is

killed and the Government is planning to

institute other proceedings equally as strin-

gent, Ido hope that we can pull together a

few out of the outside strings that we have

| and make them mean some business for us.'

Industry, Not Labor, Is the Obvious

Customer.

_With the double service to offer of es-

plonage and strikebreaking, the detective

agency surveys the ever-potential source

of trouble between workers who are trying

`to organize and employers hostile to unions,

-and sees clearly where its money lies. Labor

spends money neither on espionage nor

munitions. So far as your committee has

learned, management is the only prospec-

"WALLY FOR QUEEN"

(The Private Life of Royalty)

By Upton Sinclair

This is a new booklet fresh from the

pen of the famous author. Regarding it

Upton says:

"I wrote something I thought was very

funny. The first editor wired me: `Swell

but unpublishable.' My literary agent

wired: `Desolated, but compelled to ad-

mit skit unprintable-very charming.' It

appears that the British royal family is

sacred-even in America! So J print it

myself, as usual. A Baltimore girl] fight-

ing the British Empire; I'm not taking

sides, but surely we're entitled to. our

laughter !"'

If you want a good laugh, send 25c

to The Open Forum, 624 American Bank

Bldg., Los Angeles, for one copy of this

booklet, or $1 for six.

`SCORE INJUNCTION AGAINST

SIT-DOWN STRIKERS AT FLINT

Terming the injunction granted by Tudge '

Paul V. Gadola against sit-down Strikers jy q

Flint auto plants "judicial usurpation," the

American Civil Liberties Union lagt Week

pledged its wholehearted co-operation ty

labor in promoting legislation to maintain i

labor's civil rights. St

_ The National Committee on Labor In. im

junctions, affiliate of the American Ciyy

Liberties Union, in a telegram to the Mich. | 0x2122

igan State Federation of Labor, declareq: } [i

_ "In view of the amazing injunction deny. he

ing labor's peaceful rights which was | I

granted by Judge Gadola, we pledge oyp | P

wholehearted co-operation to the mainte. |

nance of labor's civil rights against guch | (c)

judicial usurpation." p

The telegram was signed by Robert Mory | and

Lovett, Norman Thomas, John F, Finerty, }

William L. Nunn and Dr. John H. Gray, fo Ke

the committee. } to

} by

POSTER CONTEST CLOSING Ct

DATE ADVANCED TO MARCH]

In response to requests from artists

throughout the country, the closing date of | a

the Bill of Rights Poster Contest, sponsored 4 %

by the American Civil Liberties Union, has le

been advanced from February 15th to

March Ist. th

John Sloan, chairman of the Committee } fo

of Judges, last week announced that the | is

public will have something to say in select } m

ing the winning poster. In addition to one

vote for each of the five judges, two votes ne

`will be credited to the public visiting the }

open exhibition of designs submitted.

tive buyer of both. The aim is to induce

management to spend freely and over as 0x00A7 !

long a time as possible. Employers whoare

working peacefully with their employees |

and have no fear of trouble are talked into !

alarm. An ex-superintendent of one agenty ce

admitted that it was common practice to yen

send undercover men into a plant without 7

the company's knowledge and to use ther yen

reports to sell the client on his need for

spying.

Pretense That Hostilities Are Directed ] A

Against Communism mn

"Although, as the investigations reveal, | }

the employer directs his spy forces against D

any kind of union activity, he cloaks his hos J |e

tility under the pretext that he is defending | 0x00A7

himself and the country against commul J] g

ism. Pinkerton officials, on the stand, strove | {

without success to show that they accept 8

industrial work only where the employers' J it

anxious to stamp out communism. Lengthy # 0

`questioning of six Pinkerton officials, from J 9

Mr. Pinkerton and his general manager @ f

down.to his assistant superintendents, 10x00B0 0x00A7

vealed that the agency had never refused 0 fi

spy on unions affiliated with the Americal # g

Federation of Labor and that none of them yen j

could define or describe a Communist. De @ y

tective agencies appear to make a clear dis i

tinction, however, between an independent 7 i

union with bargaining power and a colt @ y

pany union, and frankly offer to help indus- 0

try in establishing the latter, boasting SU' 7 }

cessful ventures in the field. This objecu @ f,

remains to be explored." =

(Continued next week) /t

SS

0

"EUROPEAN IMPRESSIONS, t

1936" y

A New Book by 1

KATE CRANE-GARTZ

7 |

_Gives the author's reactions to com

ditions in 11 countries of the old world | 4

Qlustrated with 10 cuts. am

i

Mrs. Gartz is contributing the PI

ceeds of its sale to the work of the,

AcSCeLEU;

Send 50c to The Open Forum for} 0x00A7

copy. a9 et , a

iy.

3

FOR PRESIDENT'S COURT REFORM

President Roosevelt's judiciary reform

MOONEY CASE NEARS CLIMAX ee cole ae

| the Tom Mooney habeas corpus pro- thereupon sentenced to death, which sen- appointments of years ago that have put the

- goeding in the California Supreme Court is tence was later commuted by the Governor America of 1937 back to 1897, Major

marching steadily toward a climax. Al-. of the State of California to life imprison- George L. Berry, President of Labor's Non-

CP ough adverse findings were made recent- ment; and POA Partisan League, stated this week.

. | ivy Referee A.B. Shaw, who sat for the WHEREAS, The said Thomas J. Mooney be ee cree rer ee

| } supreme Court pune te Pee sie has, since said conviction, been incarcer- Pee as see ied 5 nee

| jngs, this was expected. ae practically ated in the State Prison at San Quentin, promptly" in their respective fields in sup-

- | adopted in toto as his findings those sub- where he is still confined as a life prisoner; port of the President's judiciary modern-

|} nitted by Deputy Attorney General Wil- and ization proposals.

" | jam F. Cleary for the State. Thus the un- WHEREAS, It has since been shown that "His program is a masterpiece of unas-

. | jolyalliance between the Attorney General the conviction of said Thomas J. Mooney sailable logic," said Major Berry as he an-

; | and the Supreme Court, acting at the bid- was based upon false and perjured testi- nounced plans for the League's part to ob-

Lee eee eee ; : tain quick action on the program.

' | ding of the unprincipled special interests mony, and it is now fully evident that said las opponents of hea oe Roosevelt

yhich convicted Mooney and kept him in 5

oe : Thomas J. Mooney is innocent of the crime yecognized as well as did his supporters

" J prison a score of years, is once again for which he was convicted, and should be that the major issue of the 1936 campaign

"exhibited. granted immediately a full and complete was upon the continuance of the progres-

`The California Supreme Court has set pardon and set at liberty; now, therefore, sive principles of his first administration,"

| | wbruary 25 as the date when exceptions be it Major Berry said. "Labor knew that the

in the Referee's findings must be submitted RESOLVED, BY THE ASSEMBLY OF President favored legislation to increase

py counsel for Mooney. At this time the THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THE mass purchasing power through mimmum

ourt is expected to set a date for argu- SENATE THEREOF CONCURRING, ama- wage regulation and through the definite

nent, and a decision should be forthcoming jority of all members elected to each having establishment of labor's right to organize

) shortly thereafter, probably early in voted therefor and concurred therein, that nd bargain collectively.

`arch. The California Supreme Court is the said Thomas J. Mooney be and he is "The whole country knew that without

expected to adopt the Referee's findings hereby granted a full and complete pardon, court reform any new legislation would be

ag conclusive, and therefore refuse to re- and thatthe said Thomas J. Mooney be and futile and that all existing New Deal laws

lease Mooney on the habeas corpus appli- he is hereby set at liberty; and be itfurther were in danger of judicial veto." a

gation. Thus once again will California RESOLVED, That the Secretary of the "The future of labor, of farmers, and of

quthorities make a hollow farce of justice in State of California be and he is hereby au- the people generally, depends upon the suc-

this State, but will keep intact their record thorized and directed to transmit a certi- cess of this project for court reform," said

. | for consistency in refusing redress in what fied copy of this resolution to the warden of a communication from the League's na-

. | recognized throughout the world as the the State prison at San Quentinimmediately tional offices.

| most monstrous frame-up of our times. upon the passage of this resolution, and Membership of the League in every state

Tom Mooney and his counsel expected that the said warden be and he is hereby in the union, every individual as well as

; | nothing from the California Supreme Court, authorized, ordered and directed to forth- every labor organization was urged to lose

1 | so they are not disappointed. The case has with set at liberty and release from the no time in entering the fight for enactment

heen prepared throughout on the theory confines of said State prison the said of the program.

_ | that ultimately it would have to be carried Thomas J. Mooney upon receipt of said cer-

. } tothe United States Supreme oR ee is to aalind vib um ae es ATTACK FINGERPRINTING BILL

` thenation's court of lastresortthat Mooney lion cons ituting a full and complete pardon ve sie ey

(R) jslooking for final victory and vindication. by the State of California of the said Panesar pce Gi ee

WY Before the year is out Tom Mooney may be Thomas J. Mooney. ing service employees in New York City

W iteed. The United States Supreme Court was voiced last week by the New York

Bp tly decided Se arernen THINKS "WALLY" A JOLLY SKIT Committee of the Civil Liberties Union on

. i :

that this record will be preserved when the Editor The Open Forum: naciidictona any ee aye ave Mie ye

_ 7 Mooney case comes before it for decision, "The blacklisting of men active in union

_ 7 asthe case should this fall. organization is notorious," declared the

. Meanwhile, on still another front the bat- committee in a statement signed by Florina

' ile is being waged for Mooney's freedom. Lasker, chairman, ``and fingerprinting can

A measure, jointly signed by twenty-seven easily be used to implement the espionage

system in business and industry."

members of the California Assembly, has

The proposal to compel fingerprinting

} been introduced at the current Legislature, : : ays

| providing for an immediate and complete ac eee Be pee * arose from the arrest of Major Green for

} legislative pardon for Mooney. Taking the ; the murder of Mary Harriet Case.

1 Sat its : . coming later) when The Open Forum ar-

me Constitution, as their authority for rived with that attack of Leo Gallagher's

} such a measure, the Legislators point to cer- Se : : tg

tain sections of it which they are convinced on Upton Sinclair. I have a great respect A Generous Subscription Offer

substantiate their power to pardon. Lead- for Leo, a brave and honest man, and I my- In order to increase the circulation and Im

ing the fight in the Assembly is Daal Richie self have never spared my sharpest edge on fluence of The Open Forum we are going to

Upton-with whom I have debated more offer to send the paper six weeks on trial for

only ten cents. But in taking advantage of

this offer you must send in at least five names

} San Diego, while Senator Culbert Olson

! ee eoles is pes age a ett aan oe is not moving litera-

. : s ture like "Boston," nor is it a masterpiece and addresses, accompanied by fifty cents or

ise eee - ton, ine ee of propaganda like ``Co-op."'. But it is said more. Now get busy, friends of civil liberties,

P should report the pardon bill out favorably that: "A little nonsense, now and then, Is and help us put this little sheet into the hands

iasmuch as a Tone of this committee relished by the best of men." I do not dare of thousands of people who should receive

Were co-signers OE EH a pall A nublic hear put myself in that category, but speaking the message which it carries. Send all lists

Ten the measure will Sv ahaovt herhela for the light-minded I assert that "Wally" to 624 American Bank Building, Los Angeles.

=m Sacramento some a. on hare ake quite a jolly skit. Leo is much too austere. !

i , There was no occasion at all for such a sav-

eee, ae ie te . Oe eee

Rae ee a eee) Ee

=

I would be the last of your readers-cer-

tainly the last of your writers-to say that

in dealing with someone who has not done

the duty he undertook to do, who is trying

to defend superstition or attempting to

apologize for tyranny, we ought to refrain

from using the sharpest and deadliest dag-

_

- oe

i the State who, through their chosen rep-

i Hsentatives, had righted this frightful

| ong. The pardon bill follows:

| TGSSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLU-

7 Nc

} `THOMAS J. MOONEY.

Which time various Legislators will speak

} "the measure and demand that justice

pcnone where the courts of the State have

ailed. Should the measure pass, it would

. rebuke to the narrow and bigoted atti-

ide of the California Supreme Court. More

an this, however, it would be the people

ON NO. 18 - RELATIVE TO GRANT-

A FULL AND COMPLETE PARDON

a HEREAS, On February 9, 1917, in the

and i court of the State of California in

a a the City and County of San Fran-

ea homas J. Mooney was convicted of

time of murder in connection with the

in eg of the Preparedness Day Parade

1 195 euro City of San Francisco on July 22,

n

" resulting j

Os: and g in the death of several per

; : WHEREAS, Thomas J. Mooney was

age attack, no occasion whatever.

T. H. BELL.

"CQ-OP: A Novel of Living Together"

a new full length book by

UPTON SINCLAIR

just off the Press-A story of Cali-

fornia Self-Help Co-operatives. It

sets forth a cause and cure of unem-

ployment.

Full of humor, excitement, tragedy,

courage and wisdom.

Order it from The Open Forum,

624 American Bank Building, Los

Angeles.

JOIN THE A. C. L. U.

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THE OPEN FORUM

Published every Saturday at 624 American Bank Build-

ing, 129 West Second Street, Los Angeles, California,

by the Southern California Branch of The American

Civil Liberties Union. Phone: TUcker 6836.

Mee athe ee eS eos Editor

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Upton Sinclair Kate Crane Gartz

Doremus Scudder A. A. Heist Carey McWilliams

Leo Gallagher Ethelwyn Mills Ernest Besig

; John Packard Edwin P. Ryland

Subscription Rates-One Dollar a Year. Five Cents

per Copy. In bundles of ten or more to one address,

`Two Cents Each, if ordered in advance.

Advertising Rates on Request

Entered as second-class matter Dec. 13, 1924, at the

post office of Los Angeles, California, under the Act

of March 3, 1879.

LOS ANGELES, CALIF., FEB. 20, 1937

AGRICULTURE CONFERENCE CALLED

There will be an agricultural conference

held in San Francisco on February 27th and

28th. The conference call was issued by

the officials of the State Federation of Labor

for the purpose of uniting existing agricul-

tural organizations in the state under the

banner of the American Federation of

Labor. It is expected that there will be over

a hundred delegates from the various agri-

cultural unions. The Central Labor Council

and the Executive Board of the State Fed-

eration will participate in the conference as

delegates. There will also be a number of

fraternal delegates. It is expected that over

two hundred will attend the conference in

official capacity.

"A newspaper has begun publication,

called "The United Field Worker," which

is the official organ of the agricultural

workers. It is making its appearance this

week in two languages, Spanish and Eng-

lish, and will come out regularly every week

from now on. Later on the paper will also

include the Japanese language.

DR. INGVOLDSTAD'S LECTURE

Next Sunday afternoon Dr. Fred W. Ing-

voldstad will lecture on "Dawn over Biro-

Bidjan (and Zionism)" at the Royal Palms

Hotel ballroom, 360 S. Westlake Avenue,

Los Angeles. This is the third in a series

of lectures which he is giving on European

conditions. The hour of the lecture will be

2:30 o'clock and the admission price asked

is 25c. These lectures are being sponsored

by the Modern Humanist Church of which

Dr. J. C. Coleman is minister.

MUNICIPAL BUS LEAGUE

BROADCAST

Over KF VD

Every Sunday afternoon - 1:45

HUNTINGTON PARK OFFICIALS

WHITEWASH SLUGGER OF PERRY

"Not guilty!" is the verdict of the Hun-

tington Park officials in the case of Pettis

Perry who alleges that he was attacked by

a policeman while being held in the Hun-

tington Park jail last December. Protest

against the attack was made on January 6th

by eighteen people representing the I. L. D.,

the A. C. L. U. and other organizations.

After an hour's conference with the mayor,

the chief of police and the city attorney,

these officials agreed to investigate the as-

sault upon Perry and to act in the light of

their findings. They have taken between

five and six weeks to make the so-called

investigation and now the city attorney

finally comes out to announce that: ``The

complaint of one Pettis Perry that he was

mistreated in the Huntington Park Police

Department was referred to our Chief of

Police for investigation and all officers on

duty at the time complained of deny that

anything of the kind occurred-a typical

whitewash.

The city attorney adds: "`Of course Mr.

Perry may proceed in any way he sees fit,

but so far as action by the City of Hunting-

ton Park is concerned, the incident is

closed."'

Well, Mr. Perry does not propose to let

the matter drop. He intends to bring a

damage suit against the vicious officer who

assaulted him and have the affair entirely

aired in court.

SPAIN'S CIVIL WAR EXPLAINED

Anna Louise Strong, who has just re-

turned from Spain, will lecture in Los An-

geles Monday evening, March Ist, at the

Philharmonic Auditorium, on `What is

Really Happening in Spain.'"' She has wit-

nessed the battle scenes on three Spanish

fronts-Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona-and

will therefore be able to give a vivid picture

of what is taking place in that war-torn

country. Miss Strong is well known in Los

Angeles, having lectured here on many pre-

vious occasions. She comes this time under

the auspices of the Modern Forum, of which

Herman Lissauer is director. Tickets are

offered at 50c, 75c, and $1, and may be ob-

tained from the Modern Forum office, 432

Philharmonic Bldg., or by telephoning MU-

tual 0048. No one who wants to get the

latest facts about the seven-months-old

civil war in Spain should miss hearing Miss

Strong.

AMERICA -- EUROPE

1936

By Dr. Clinton J. Taft

The Story of a Three-Months' Tour

Through America and Nine Countries

of Europe. 48 Pages, 20 Chapters -

11 of Them Describing Conditions in

Soviet Russia.

- PRICES -

Single Copies 25c - Five Copies for $1.00

10 Copies, $1.75 - 100 Copies, $15.00 - Postpaid

Order from the Author,

624 American Bank Bldg., Los Angeles

SOCIAL CHANGES IN EUROPE TOUR

Dr. Clinton J. Taft, in cooperation with the Compass Travel Bureau of New York City,

will personally conduct another tour to Europe next summer.

Nine Countries Will Be Visited

ENGLAND, DENMARK, SWEDEN, FINLAND, SOVIET UNION, HUNGARY,

AUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND and FRANCE

27 DAYS - Sailing from New York on the Cunard Liner `'Berengaria'' July 3, 1937.

18 Days In The Soviet Union.

Only $495 in third class (as good as tourist formerly) .

Make Your Reservations Now

Send for circular giving detailed information about the Tour

624 American Bank Bldg., Los Angeles.

SIT-DOWN STRIKER CONVICTED

After twelve days spent in two dif

trials in Municipal Court, the Log Ange

W. P. A. officials and the police departing, |

were finally successful in convicting Mee

Callahan, former W. P. A, worker, of Fi

turbing the peace. The case grew out '

sit-down strike which was taken part inby |

eighteen mothers of the three thousang a

had been laid off W. P. A. sewing projea,

the day after the January election. Tet.

evidence upon which the prosecution relied

for conviction was that defendant togethy

with eighteen other women sang songs and

sat on the floor for a period of thirty hours

in protest against the mass firing of women #

on the sewing project, the women in the

W. P. A. headquarters stating that the

were going to stay there until Col. Gig |

nolly, who is in charge of the W. P. A,, met

with them and adjusted their grievance

The trial of Mrs. Callahan was had hefoy

Judge Arthur E. Guerin of the Municipa}

Court, who was recently appointed by Gor.

ernor Merriam to fill the place vacated py

Judge Dockweiler when he was elected to

the Superior Court. Judging by Judge

Guerin's consistent assistance to the DLose- |

cution and prejudiced remarks made to and

about defendant's witnesses in the trial of

this case, relief workers and union Officials

are justified in their statement that Judy

Guerin promises to be a worthy success)

to Judge Crum, former judge of the same

court.

As soon as sentence was pronounced

upon Mrs. Callahan by Judge Guerin, de.

fendant's attorneys immediately filed wit

ten notice of appeal to the appellate de

partment of the Superior Court and posted

bail for Mrs. Callahan pending said appeal, |

The whole case was an effort on the part yen

of the W. P. A. authorities and police off

cials to intimidate all militant relief workey )

who dare to take any`unified action to a sure their receiving such relief as was con)"

porplened by the Administration in framing |

e act. es

erent a

ofa

To er TR ~ = AS ww

Fre et en eer ag a ee a oe

CS ore een ete! iD en i ne

,

HOW TO REPEAL C. S. LAW

_ The Women's Committee of the Ame }

ican League Against War and Fascism wil |

hold a meeting at 7300 Fountain Avenue

2:00 p. m., Monday, February 22nd. Aq

new plan for the repeal of the Criminal }

Syndicalism Act will be discussed by Le }

Gallagher.

HARD TIMES OFFER ||

Because of the continued financial depression

we are going to make you a very special offer-

THE OPEN FORUM eights months to new sub-

scribers for only fifty cents. Get busy and flood

us with new subscriptions.

THE OPEN FORUM

624 American Bank Building

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ane

een

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"UNITED FIELD WORKER'

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i: Published by and for

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