The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-03-07
Washington Hearing.


Washington. March dudley M.
Holman. secretary to Governor Foss
OF MASSACHUSETTS,. testifying before the
mouse rules committee today regard
ing the Lawrence mill strike, had ex-
planned the failure of the authorities
to settle the strike when he was con-
fronted with question he objected to.
Did you say In Lawrence that Will
nam Wood was the one man to blame ?
asked Acting Chairman Hardwick.
The question had been submitted to
VINO Is pleading the strikers cause.
Mr.. Wood is president of the Ameri-
can Woolen company.
would prefer not to answer that
question" Mr.. Holman replied, "but
l will II you insist"
The committee after comforting de-
cided to withdraw the question.
Mrs. Taft. wife of the president,
spent most of the day at the hearing,
remaining throughout the morning
session and returning for two hours
In the afternoon. She exhibited in
terest, but to members of the commit
tee made no comment.
Mr.. Holman followed Captain J. j.
sullivan. acting city marshal OF
lawrence. who told detailed story OF
the police operations. concluding after
a severe cross-eXamination by Repre-
sentative Stanley of Kentucky.
Concerning the incidents at the
Lawrence depot when the children
were arrested. Mr.. Stanley questioned
the marshal at length.
When you lined your police up on
the station platform. and diverted the
truck, what was your purpose?" he
asked.
ITO keep them from leaving Law
renee without any explanation of
where they were going or whether
their parents consented"
Where did you take them?'
ITO the police station"
Because they had, in my opinion,
violated the laws of Massachusetts" I"
What law?"
''The law providing for the care of
neglected children"
How did you know they were neg
lected?"
"The situation was extraordinary.
These people would not tell us who
they We're. and for that reason they
were detained"
We'll. If some of these women were
mothers of those children. what right
did you have to arrest them!"
hc iA6hls s1S nave IOlO you, Inat
! thought it was my duty under the
law"
When did you discover that any OF
these women were mothers?"
Not until after they were taken to
the state institution where they were
cared for later that day. Tha night
some of the fathers came and ac-
knowledged parentage of the children
They promised to bring them in court
on Tuesday and were allowed to take
them home."
Captain Sullivan said he had con-
suited Justice Chandler. Col. Sweet
ger and others, who advised him in
his action.
Did you have any written authority
to take these women and children 9"
Il did not"
Captain Sullivan said he had seen
people on the streets of Washington
more poorly dressed than he had ever
seen on the streets of Lawrence.
"As to the testimony that they eat
meat only once a week." he said, II
know there are scores of Italian and
Jew meat and fish peddlers who sell
to no one but these people. They also
have their own clothing shops, which
are we'll patronized."
A sample Of a club used by some
of the soldiers at Lawrence was ex.
hibited to the witness and he indenti-
fed 1t.
Mrs. Taft laughed when Represen-
tative Wilson of Illinois asked in this
connection:
rs the big stick popular in Law
renee now?"
1T is not popular. but the only
thing effective In Lawrence just now.'
Mr.. Holman outlined the efforts
made by the governor of Massachu-
setts to settle the strike and the with
drawal from Lawrence Of most of the
troops.
There was no undue violence used
py the troops or police in Lawrence -
he said. Force was necessary at
times where the suffering people were
ugly and had to be restrained"
That tho state authorities or sol.
diers had anything to do with stopping
the departure Of children from Law
renee Mr.. Holman denied.
THE police alone dealt with that
situation" he said.
Daniel J. Murphy. city solicitor at
Lawrence. was called to give testi-
mony as to prosecution Of strikers and
mothers Of children.
William d. Haywood, organizer of
the Industrial Workers Of the World.
arrived from Lawrence late in the day
and attended the hearing. accom-
panied by Representative Berger.
Captain Sullivan told Of an out
burst at Sunday meeting Of the
strikers where men were arrested for
blocking the sidewalks.
Two OF these men were struck with
clubs. the captain said. las they
were being taken to the station, n,on
Of women armed with broomstfcks