Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-07
IN HIS OPINION 1T WAS
DONE TO WIN SYMPATHY
All the People, Particularly the
Women, Terror Stricken, He Says.
QU0TEs WORDS OF A FRIEND
This Person Overheard a Woman
Say That the Children Would
Be Well Fed in
New York.

When the Congress committee investi-
cation into the Lawrence. Mass. textile
strike conditions was resumed today
Daniel j. Murphy. prosecuting attorney
of Lawrence, read a telegram from
Samuel c. Logan, the assistant city mar
shall of Lawrence, telling of the runaway
of some of the strike children who were
taken to New York by the committee of
the socialist party.
The telegram read:
Adam Banker, thirteen: Peter, eleven.
at u Common street, when brought to
Arlington Hall. New York. were put with
a Jewish family. Made them scrub the
floor. Did not like the way they were
treated: ran away. Picked up by letter
carrier, turned over to police and put in
childrens home, 23d street and 4th ave-
nue.. New York. Kept there eight days
with three other Italian children. Brought
back to Lawrence February IS"
Petition for Inquiry
A petition from 1000 residents of Law
renee for a congressional inquiry into
strike conditions and into manufacture
ing, banking. stock brokerage and other
conditions was submitted to the commit
tee The petition came to Representative
w. B. Wilson. chairman of the labor
committee. and was sent by Mrs. L. NJ.
Quinn of Lawrence
We. 2.0OO residents of Lawrence. in
meeting assembled. respectfully petition
the Congress of the United States to ex-
anime fully and impart. ally not only into
the Industrial causes of the existing
strike in Lawrence. but into the practices
OF manufacturing. mailing and transpor-
fation companies doing an interstate
business in the issue of stocks and bonds.
together with the effect of such stock
and bond issues upon wages.
Mrs. Taft Not Present.
Mrs. Taft did not attend the hearing.
but her niece. Miss Anderson. was pres
ent unaccomparied.
Rev. Clark Carter. the city missionary
of Lawrence, gave testimony relating to
the organized movement of the churches
to take care of destitution during the
strike and the troubles encountered
among the strikers. especially the social
lists He also described many incidents
regarding the removal of children, which
the churches opposed.
"A friend of mine,'' he said, "over-
heard a conversation on a street between
woman and a little girl who was to be
taken to New York. He heard her say to
the little girl: When you go to New York
put on your torn dress and leave your
mittens at home. They'll take care Of
preston that the people who were send
ing the children away wanted to excite
sympathy"
Couldn't Find Children.
Rev. Mr.. Carter said that after the chill
dren were sent away parents came to
him complaining and saying they wanted
their children back. He tried then to
find out who was responsible for the
taking away of the children and could
not find out.
Neither could We find out who was
responsible for the children in New
York" he said. I'VE encountered great
difficulty in locating the responsible peo-
pie, and discovered 1t to be fact that the
children had been taken. some with their
parents consent and some without and
that. as far as the authorities were con-
cerned. no one knew who was responsible
for them"
Rev. Mr.. Carter told of bringing back
to Lawrence the children referred to in
the telegram sent to Mr.. Murphy He
said when the children came back to
Lawrence they told him of their expert
ences being lost i'm New York. He said
the boys told him how the mail carrier
ary also described condition Of terror
prevailing among the foreigners, aroused
by the strikers.
AN these people. particularly the
People have been aroused from their
beds at night by strike agents, who
would shout:
No work; don't go to work: kill
you.'
1t is a fact" he said. that threats
among the foreigners to blow up homes
have precipitated a terrorized condition
among the people"
Strike "Began in Terrorism"
did I understand that people of
Lawrence are in a state of terror"
asked Representative Hardwick.
THE strike began in terrorism .
Rev. Mr.. Carter replied. The people
rushing through the streets in calling
the strike broke down the mill gates,
overpowered the watchmen. rushed
through the mills. tore girls from the
work and drove all the workers out
Some of the girls told me they were
thrown down and others tainted.
The people generally felt terror every
day, whether parties to the strike or
not. People in the suburbs were afraid
To go into Lawrence for days
Rev. MIR. Carter told the committee
lat for years foreign children have
been brought into Lawrence by their
.arents and relatives for the purpose
II putting them to work.
We have had to pass special legisIa- l.
tion because of this. and the parents
have persistently falsified the age OF
their children in order to send them to
work under age
Representative Foster of Illinois asked
Rev. Mr.. Carter about the charge foI
drinking water in the Lawrence mills
That's social club arrangement" he
said. The regular water in the summer
is too hot. and in the winter some of /,
is too near the steam pipes. So the work.
ers form clubs to get spring water or ice
They pay so much for il. and when the
new employees are asked to pay they think
the mill owners get the money"
Then the mill owners don't furnish
drinkable water?' asked Mr.. Foster.
Its the water 1 drink"
Minister Sees a Joke.
But It's heated by steam pipes and
un1t 10 drink in the MILL said Mr. Fos
ter From your testimony 1t appear.