Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-06-10
ITALY ASKS WHY
GOVERNOR BROWN
CALLED TROOPS?
Her Ambassador Asks Knox
for Light on Arrest of Twen-
ty-two of Her Subjects at
Durham
SECRETARY SENDS QUERY
TO GEORGIA EXECUTIVE

The Italian government, through its
ambassador at Washington. has called on
the state department at Washington for
facts about the alleged riot among MI
ners at the Lookout coal mines at Dur
ham. which resulted in Governor Brown
at the behest Of a private citizen, send
ing troops to the scene and accusing the
arrest OF - Italians. This wact was an
rounced Wednesday in an Associated
Press dispatch from Washington.
The dispatch says that the governor.
In reply to an inquiry of Secretary o.
state Knox, was unable TO give him any
information as TO the cause OF the riots,
but said that upon representations be-
ing made TO him that a riOtous demon
ssrEtion was in progress, he had ordered
a company Of militia TO the mines 10 pro-
tect property.
Governor Brown was engaged in con-
ference Wednesday with the state geo.
logical board. and could not be reached
Through his secretary. however. he an
nounced that he had nothing to say. that
this was not the proper time to make amp
statement
II appears from this action of the se.-
Rotary OF state and the Italian govern
ment that the latter doesn' understand
the states interference when there was
10 demand on the part Of the authori-
ties for troops, and no well founded
basis for the report that a riot was in
progress.
As previously stated. the governor act
ed on telephone message received from
one Of the owners OF the mines. He callel
up Capt. II. p. Meikleham, Of Lindale,
and ordered him to proceed with a COM
pany OF militia to the mines.
FOUND TAME RIOTERS.
Arrived at the mines. the captain. as
he reported later. found the miners were
not at all belligerent. although he was
told that they had made threats. The
miners submitted to arrest without lift
ing a hand.
The sheriff OF the county wanted some
authority for taking the men into Gus
tooy. and wouldn't receipt for them until
warrants had been sworn out This pro-
eedure was agreed on; the warrants were
taken. the men delivered TO the sheriff.
but on the condition that as soon as they
left the charges would be dropped.
This they did. but the treatment they
received at the hands OF the state seems
10 have reached the Italian ambassador,
who seemingly couldn't understand the
procedure
Both Adjutant General Scott and
friends OF Governor Brown claimed that
the lstter's action in dispatching troops
10 the scene when there had been 20
request for them from the regularly con-
stituted authorities and the subseouen,
arrest OF men not engaged in violence
was perfectly justified. although the news
dispatches the day following the occur
renee said that there had been no riot.
h. IL
srnor acted without authority.
The Italian ambassadors next stem will
De awaited with interest. as the question
has now grown from a state affair 10
an international one The dispatch does
not indicate what Secretary Knox re-
ported TO the ambassador, or how the re-
port was received
Following Is the dispatch:
TEXT OF DISPATCH.
WASHINGTON. June S-The strike riots
among the Italian Iaborers at the Look
out coal mines at Durham, Ga, have
been brought 10 the attention of the state
department by the Italian ambassador
here.
The secretary Of state Immediately com
municated with Gov. Joseph NJ Brown.
Of Georgia. who assured the department
that the Italians under arrest would be
given every protection and fair treat
ment-
The governor was not able to give the
secretary of state any information as to
the cause Of the riots. but said that upon
representations being made to him that a
riotous demonstration was in progress
he had ordered a company OF militia To
the mines TO protect property.
Twenty-Five Italians have been taken
lr charge and turned over to the civil