Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-03-30
POLICE AT WORK.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

OF them have been without work for
three months at least. This means tflat
many of them are facing starvation.
Various attempts have been made to
call tie attention of the public authori-
ties to this widespread misery. The
Socialists felt that the most effective
way of attracting public attention to
the question was to have mass meet
ing. This has been done and is being
done IN most cities of Europe. There
seemed no good reason why it should
not be done in New York City.
1T was my intention and that of my
friends to discuss the problem of UNI
employment, to state the facts as we
knew them and to pass resolutions
urging the city and state authorities
the provide work If the meeting had
been allowed to proceed peaceably as
the are allowed in most other coun-
tries, there is no reason why the gath
ering should not have made a pro-
found impression and materially aided
the cause of the unemployed. 1t was
intended that the meeting should be
absolutely peaceable, exercising the
right of free assembly, to state the
grievances of the unemployed. This
was the primary cause of the meeting.
When l arrived at the square | on
ly knew from newspaper report that
no permit had been obtained. 1t APP
pears from the report that the unem-
ployed conference had decided to post
pone the meeting. | was not informed
of this action, and | consulted Inspec-
tor Schmittberger concerning ou,
rights in the matter He said that m
structiens had been given to prevent
any meeting. Without knowing the
law it seemed to me violation of the
Constitution to prevent a peaceablc
assembly and the right of free speech
1t seend to me the best plan to deter
mine the law i'll the courts. l IN
formed the inspector therefore that
should endeavrr to speak. There was
however, no chance. The crowd was
kept moving and finally several thou
sand men and women We're marching
in q circle around the square.
las very considerable portion oil
the crowd approached 18th street and
Union square, East, a score of police
men on foot and as many on horse
back, charged the crowd with incredl-
BILE brutality. The people We're rushed
into 18th street, fleeing from the clubs
of policemen and almost under the
heels of the horses. They We're dis
perseing about as fast as possible, but
the police seemed not content and two
or three on horseback rode even dowI
the sidewalks, driving men, women
and children before them. The sight
| ,,l, hi,,1r ,nf l,r
duplicated outside of Russia. Not al
the policemen could be blamed. They
We're acting under orders and some
were as kind as possible under the cir
| clmstances A few of them seemed as
| fanatical and fiendish as Cossdcks.
up to this time no one, 50 far as
| saw, was making any disturbance
creating any violence or using the
methods of anarchy except a portion
of the police. 1t is no wonder that there
should have been resentment and bit
| terne2s. Some were livid with rage. A
lad working on a building, asked mt
! ii it was a Russian massacre. People
shouted: Is this Russia?' Is this 9
free country
"Being driven amidst protest dow1
| the streets With the crowd and find
| ing it impossible to argue with a horse
| which was about to run me down,
| climbed up some steps and attempted
| to address the crowd. Several police
men caught me and dragged me from
| the steps.
| at is to be profoundly regretted that
! the police saw fit to break up what
was Intended to be a peaceable assem-.
| bly,. They had an unquestioned right t.
arrest anyone who was violent and tC
stop anyone talking who was urging
violence I am absolutely convinced
| that if the crowd had been permitted
to use the square and the police haG
regulated it as they would have regu-
| lated any other assembly, there would
| have been no violence, and very likely
| the poor fanatic who threw the bomt
would not nave had the courage nol
the incentive to blow up policemen
who were orderly and peaceable.
CAS- it is now, the police brutality
and the outrage make it impossible tC
discuss the dire need of the scores