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were made to the Board and of these 31.4 per cent were granted. That meant that in that one 15 per cent of all Federal prisoners were given that "measure of freedom." 

In the Danbury prison where Winston now lies and waits, 32.9 per cent of paroles were granted, in Terre Haute, where he had been, 32.1 per cent were granted, and even in the Medical Center, in Springfield, 23.9 per cent were granted.

But for Henry Winston-Parole denied!

Rapists, kidnappers, white slavers, dope salesmen are graciously let free. Of rapists, 44.9 per cent of those who applied for parole were freed in 1958! Of white slavers, 27.3 per cent were paroled! Of kidnappers, 43.2 per cent! Of embezzlers, 74.1 per cent! Of merchants of obscene literature, 55.6 per cent! Of dope pushers, 28.2 per cent! Of robbery cases, 49.1 per cent! Of income tax evaders, 62.3 per cent!

But for Henry Winston?-Parole denied!

Were he a rapist or white slaver or pimp, would then the U.S. Parole Board judge him a healthy asset to society and give him its blessing? His misfortune is, it seems, that he is not a criminal; thus must remain in prison. If he had committed a crime of violence he might be free.

But Henry Winston is a Negro leader and a Communist, who was convicted not of a crime, but of teaching and advocating his political philosophy, and he will not "repent" his beliefs. Parole denied!

It is an unwritten law of parole procedure, humanitarian and practical, that severely ill prisoners by given a "Medical Parole." Though not legally recognized, "Medical Parole" is the term given such acts of mercy by parole officials themselves. Cancer patients, brain tumor victims, are among those to whom such parole is given. Wealthy income tax evaders, leading gangsters, and ordinary prisoners have been given "Medical Parole."

In illness of this kind it is thought that the prisoner has

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suffered pain enough without the added pain of imprisonment. But for Henry Winston no such mercy is offered.

"He was never charged with any concrete act of any sort," Norman Thomas has written, and still he is incarcerated in "an extraordinary act of inhumanity which has no explanation except a built-in refusal of Washington to give to Communists the humanitarian consideration extended to all prisoners, including gangsters."

7. The Quality Of Mercy

[[italicised]] The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath; it is twice blessed;
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes: [[/italicised]]

Mercy perhaps "droppeth" on Hell, but it does not seem to be able to reach into the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Rev. Holmes, the revered Protestant minister and civil liberties advocate, who quoted these lines of Shakespeare in a plea for the mercy of "Medical Parole"to the U.S. Parole Board, went on to say: "I would make it plain that in Henry Winston's case I am not interested in civil liberties. Rather I am concerned for the moment with the plea of mercy ..."

[[italicised]] If not mercy, let there be justice; so wrote Reinhold Niebuhr of the Union Theological Seminary. "I have long believed," the theologian wrote, "with many other anti-communist friends that Mr. Winston should be paroled, partly because the Supreme Court has invalidated other communists of like offense under the Smith Act, and his confinement, therefore, seems to be unjust ... No purpose of justice, in my opinion, is served by his confinement." [[/italicised]]

Justice, mercy, the precepts of democracy, compassion, or humanity- the cry for all has been lifted heavenward in behalf of Henry Winston.

Eleanor Roosevelt, Roger Baldwin, Rev. Hawkins, Mod-

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