Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-05
Lawrence Worker, Not d
Naturalized Citizen, Cues
toned by Rules Body Re-
garding Labor Troubles.
GOMPERS ASSAILS
INDUSTRIAL WORKERS
President Of American Fed
Grafton Deems it Unfortu-
nate That Mill Workers
Belong to That Order.

6eons u. ", March 4. -t
Samuel Lipson. member OF tho
Lawrence strike committee, told the
house committee on rules today that
he had never become an American
citizen because he had found it neces-
sary to spend for shoes for children
the $4 naturalization papers world
cost.
AT the outset OF today's hearing
chairman Henry announced that no
one but members of the committee
would be permitted to ask questions
and cautioned the strikers to refrain
from any demonstrations such az
characterized the hearings Saturday.
Unseemly things occurred here
Saturday and the room will be cleared
II they occur again." said Mr. Henry.
Representative Berger objected to
not being allowed to question: the wit
nesses, but the committee oyerruled
him and promised to ask all the
questions he wanted, principally Of the
children.
Representative Wilson Of Fennsyl-
yRnia submitted letter from Dudley
Holman. secretary 70 Governor Foss
Of Massachusetts,, declaring conditions
at Lawrence had been greatly exax-
gerated. The police, he said. were not
biased and We're acting in the best in
terests OF the children who were sent
away from Lawrence
Tho police did not use their clubs
on the women and children but simply
brushed them to one side" the letter
read. The governor, through his secre-
tary, stated further that he would not
allow troops to remain in Lawrence
much longer In order to exploit condi-
tions.
Lipsom said that most Of the work.
ers were peaceable when the strike
began.
when did the trouble start?" was
asked.
1t started the first day, when the
police came to drive the people away
from the mills"
What brought about the strike, the
reduction In hours ?"
mo, we had had previous meetings
TO plan how we could exist on what
we earned, but the reduction in hours
forced the strike"
Deportation Of Children Brought Up.
Representative Hardwick of Georgia
inquired the purpose of sending chill
dren away from Lawrence.
WAS it for their own good or to
arouse sympathy throughout the
country" he asked.
1T was to care, for them to keep
them from the dangers of the strike
said Lpsom.
did you ary to send some to
Philadelphia to take part in mass
meeting?"
1T was not mass meeting said
Lipsom, there was to be parade
from the depot to where the children
were to get something to eat
when we tried to get the children
to the train" Lipsom continued 'the
police pushed the women and children
with clubs. They acted worse than
Russian Cossacks in times of revolu-
ton. Things were SO terrible that we
decided to appeal to our ambassadors
lat Washington for protection. We de-
cided to find out IL Lawrence was in
Massachusetts and IL Massachusetts
was in the United States"
'The most Of you are foreigners and
you decided to appeal to a foreign gov
ernment rather than to the United
States for protection?" asked Repre-
sentative Hardwick.
IF necessary. Conditions were
awful. The soldiers beat the children.
u have seen them knock down children
on the street."
Representative Hardwick asked Lip
som to give names. He said Syrian
boy had been stabbed
"Is that boy here?"
Hes stabbed-dead to death. He
was running away when the soldier
stabbed him."
How old was he?'
"He was 16 to 20 years.
Then he wasn't a child?"
well. he was pretty young to be
stabbed"
Mr.. Hardwick demanded all details
Of the occurrence, which occupied in
the Syrian quarter. Lipsom later said
that the soldier was evonerated
Child Sent Though Parents Objected.
Asked il the strikers had sent a
committee to the mill owners, Lipsom
said a committee was sent to them on
lone occasion and the members OF the
( II