NEW ZEALAND LABOUR'S APPEAL

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 46, 23 August 1927, Page 10

NEW ZEALAND LABOUR'S APPEAL

Mr Walter Nash, secretary of the New Zealand Labour Party, in a statement dealing 'with the Saeco-Vanzetti case, states that nearly two months aeo the Labour Party sent a cable to Governor Fuller, of Massachusetts, urgine him to exercise hia prerogative of mercy. This appeal had been made rfter as full an investigation of the case as was possible with the evidence availa "More than seven years have passed since they were first charged, and the suspense of these years whilst the subsequent investigations, and appeals for a retrial were being made is almost m itself a sufficient punishment for any crime," adds Mr. Nash. "In addition to this, however, the evidence suggests that the Judge who. .condemned- them was not free from bias—the first essential when, justice is being dispensed. "The evidence advanced by counsel for the accused is such that if admitted it. .was impossible for them to have committed the crimo for which they have been condemned. The evidence for the prosecution was obtained in 1920, when New York and the United States had been stirred up with a virulent and violent campaigu ot hatred of .all. foreigners... This evidence wag extremely .weak, and in many cases broke, down. und.er. examination and crossrexamiliatiofl., „. ...» "The Reeling .is, so intense that America is dmd.e.l into two camps. During the past two months I have discussed the case with, representative Americans, and the conflicting views are not the guilt or otherwise of the two condemned men, but, on the one hand, the importance of maintaining respect for the judicial decisions when once they are made; against, on the other hand, the fear of many that a miscarriage of justice is being made.. Associated with the last group are men and women firmly convinced of the innocence of Sacco and Vanzetti. The only course under the circumstances for those lovers of justice ' who ' are' interested is to urge the Governor of ''. Massachusetts, in whose' hands the fate of the men lies,

to " exercise his prerogative of mercy, and, aating on this, a further cable has been sent to-day fiom the Alliance of Labour, the Trades and Labour Council's Federation, and the Labour Party pleading with Governor Puller to exercise mercy'; and cancel the death sentence. : The'course then to be taken can be left to the Judiciary of the United States;- " :'

'' The carrying out of *the sentence of Judge Thsyer may not only destroy the lives of innocent men, but it will in many countries create a hatred of America that will be a sore for many years, and will also weaken the faith of many people who feel that the United States has a large contribution to make to the well-being of the whole world." '