September 1, 1927
Dear Miss Addams:
I suspect you and Miss Lathrop have forgotten the fact that Doctor L. D. Coffman, now President of the University of Minnesota, and I spent a brief time at Hull House in the summer of 1908.
Because of this brief acquaintance with you and your [coworkers], and because I have tried to be interpreter of the great work you have done, I am taking the liberty of writing you at this time. I assume that you get a good many letters of advice, but I am sure the suggestions I make will be given your most careful consideration.
You and a number of other prominent persons have done all you could to obtain a new trial for Sacco and Vanzetti. A good many people in the country were in sympathy with your efforts; others believe that your efforts, though based upon finest emotions, were not justified.
It seems to me that a number of the leading citizens of America should avail themselves of the situation that has developed to arouse public sentiment in favor of proper law obedience and law enforcement. In the opinion of a number of persons, Sacco and Vanzetti may not have been guilty of the Braintree murder, but we must not forget that the pay master and his guard -- law abiding citizens -- were shot down in cold blood. Those guilty of this crime should have been punished without delay. [page 2]
Nearly every hour some innocent person is murdered. In a few instances those who are guilty are promptly apprehended and punished. In most cases, however, even though the guilty ones are captured, they are not punished promptly and adequately for their crimes.
It is not necessary to give you statistics because you are thoroughly aware of the situation. I am sure that many people would join you and other leaders if you were to organize some national society, the purpose of which is to encourage the simplification of our criminal procedure so that our laws can be enforced in all instances.
As the situation stands now, many well meaning people do not realize the conditions in our American courts. Occasionally this difficulty is due to corruption in the selection of juries, but usually it is caused by a cumbersome method of handling criminal cases, and the employment of technicalities to prevent the proper execution of our laws. The poor and the obscure are frequently the sufferers.
Very sincerely yours,
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