Supreme Court's Week

August at Washington, the U. S. Supreme Court last week--

P: Upheld the constitutionality of the California Syndicalism Act in the case of Miss Charlotte Anita Whitney. Miss Whitney had been convicted (1920) of violating the Syndicalism Act in assisting in the organization of the California Communist Labor Party. The court ruled that the Syndicalism Act could not be called discriminatory because it "affects all alike no matter what their business or calling"; could not be said to violate right to free speech because freedom of speech does not "constitute unbridled license for every possible use of language." Thus Miss Whitney, reputedly a Mayflower-descendant, must serve 1 to 14 years at San Quentin prison. Said she: "I have nothing to complain of in comparison to Sacco and Vanzetti."

P:The Supreme Court also ruled that bootleggers and others with income from unlawful sources must file federal income tax returns but have the right to test the validity of taxes on such incomes.