The Case of Miss Whitney

Miss Charlotte Anita Whitney is said to be a descendant of five people who came over in the Mayflower, and of the first colonial Governor of Massachusetts; she is said to be a niece of the late Associate Justice Stephen J. Field appointed to the Supreme Court by President Lincoln.

She was until six years ago a social worker in San Francisco and joined the Communist Labor Party. In November, 1919, she defied the police by making a speech at the Oakland Civic Centre. She was arrested and tried. It was not claimed that she had ever advocated the overthrow of the U. S. Government, or had incited anyone to violence. None the less she was convicted by a jury (composed half of women) because of her membership in the Communist Labor Party. She was sentenced to from one to 14 years in prison. For five years her friends have supplied money to carry on her legal battle. Last week the Supreme Court refused to hear her appeal. Now she must go to jail unless the Governor pardons her. But he cannot do so unless she signs an appeal for pardon, and she has announced that she will not do so, since it would imply a confession of guilt--which she will not admit.