Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-23
Anarchy in Pennsylvania.

For some weeks strike has been in
progress at the works of the Pressed
Steel Car Company at Mckees ROCKS
Pa. All efforts to adjust the dlnerences
between the workers and the company
have failed. The company has endeavor-
ed to resume operations through the en-
ployment of strike breakers, but with ut
tie success. owing TO the vigilance with
which the strikers have patrolled the APP
proaches and either dissuaded their sue
cessors from continuing or physically
prevented them from going to work.
Troopers of the state constabulary have
patrolled the streets of Mckees Rocks in
conjunction with the local police, but
have been unable TO prevent disorder
from time to time. Last evening the
trouble eliminated in a pitched battle be-
tween the constabulary and the strikers.
with the result that six are known TO
have been shot to death and two others
are believed to have been killed. A
dozen men are in the hospitals fatally
injured. while at least two score men,
women and children are suffering from
bullet wounds and injuries inflicted by
clubs and stones.
4 dispatch from Pittsburg this morn
ing. explaining the origin of the collision.
says:
For weeks the strikers have been
holding up street cars and ordering the
occupants of them out. Heretofore all
Lave been obeyed. Last night, however.
three troopers and deputy snerln were
passengers. and being armed, refused to
he ordered about by the strikers. They
insisted. and for twenty minutes battle
ensued
In other words. for weeks past the
strikers at Mckees Rocks have been
practically running the town, doing as
they please, arming themselves for bat
Tie, interrupting traffic and ordering peo-
pie. even officers of the law, about as
they wished. The show of force made by
the state has been, as usual in such
cases, inadequate, and only of a charac-
ter to spur the lawbreakers on to further
deeds of violence. Last nights riot was
not the result of an effort on the part
of the authorities to enforce the law, or
to maintain order, or to protect property
and the right of men to work as they
choose 1t was simply the consequence of
four men determining to protect them
selves when beset by mob.
1t is the almost tnvariable rule in in
dustrial disturbances of this character
that the authorities begin by temporizing
and end with the adoption of drastic
measures. Probably now the state militia
will be ordered to the scene, unless yes
terday's trouble brings the strikers to
. realization Of their responsibility. Then
there may be more encounters, possibly
with scores Of lives sacrificed to the in
sensate fury Of the mob and the tardy
determination OF the authorities to main
tain their prestige.
II would seem as though Pennsylvania
had had enough experiences of this char
acter to guide the officials of both state
and cities in handling a strike situation.
The coal fields have furnished numerous
examples of the folly of waiting for a
sense Of law to return to the belligerent
workingmen. In both Pittsburg and Phil
adelphia there have been street railway
strikes necessitating the use of force,
which has been almost invariably applied
too late to be effective with the least
possible cost in life. The situation at
Mckees Rocks now calls for the exercise
of the utmost measure of strength
In the state. not merely to enable the
corporation affected to operate its plant,
as II has a perfectly legal right to do,
but to demonstrate that 1t is not possible
In this country and in these times for
mob to overturn the statutes and to defy
all the principles of public security.