Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-03
Demonstration" Strike at Law
renee Called for "a Hours
As Protest.
SEVEN THOUSAND OBEYED
force Out 5000 others-Day
Marked by Continued Riot
ing in Which Women and
Children Suffer.

Lawrence, Mass, Sept. 30-Organized
abor history opened new chapter here
Today when for the first time in this
country "demonstra ton" strike against
The Imprisonment Of labor leaders took
place. After hand-to-hand clashes be-
tween rioters and police, from the opening
of the textile mill gates in the morning
until nightfall, the demonstration" was
declared off by the Industrial Workers Of
he World.
The strike was called for "a hours, be-
INNING this morning. In protest against
he Imprisonment OF Joseph j. Ettor. Ar
,uro Giovannitti and Joseph Caruso'
whose trial in connection with the death
f Anna Lopizzo opened in Salem to-day.
seven thousand Of the $4,000 operatives IN
The cotton and wooden mills here obeyed
he call, forcing out 5000 others either
through intimidation or lack OF work be-
cause of closing down OF departments
Then at a mass meeting late this after
noon the workers were told to go pacK
TO work tomorrow morning. ready to
come out again at the call Of the Indus
trial Workers II the leaders are not salts
fed with the progress Of the trial at
Salem.
The worst Of the rioting occurred at
the opening Of the mill gates this art
ernoon. Pickets armed with reviewers
knives. sledge hammers. iron bolts ana
other weapons, attempted to stop OPP
eratives from going into the mills.
When the police tried to maintain or
der, the plckets struggled with them
desperately. Swinging their clubs with
effect the blue coats drove back the
rioters A score of arrests were made,
many Of the prisoners having cracked
heads, while there were numbers OF
others who escaped through the
crowds to their homes with bleeding
heads and bruised faces.
ATTACK WOMEN AND CHILDREN
Men, women and children. on their
way to work, were held up and as
vaulted by strikers or sympathizers.
But one hospital case was reported
that Of an operative who was thrown
headlong from a street car and knock
I'D unconscious He was later discharg
ed. No policeman was wounded ant
no shots were fired
The decision Of the Industrial Workers
leaders to call OH the strike was mad
public at a mass meeting attended BY
5000 persons in O vacant lot this after
noon. Miss Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, on,
Of the organizers. told the gathering tina
the strike was ended and that all should
return to work tomorrow. There was n,
dissent. Miss Flynn told them that the!
were to hold themselves in readiness 70
another call to be sent out by the Indus
trial Workers Of the World. "If Ettor
Giovannitti and Caruso are not givel
justice" said Miss Flynn, you mus
demonstrate your solidarity again."
No vote was taken at the meeting OF
the matter Of formally ending the strike
Archie Adamson, who presided said aft
erward that the usual vote was DISPENSE
with because It was feared some of tn
hotter heads among the strikers Nigh
insist upon remaining out and thus Great
disturbance. 1t was announced at head
quarters that a vote will be taken to
morrow among the textile unions OF Lo
we'll on the matter OF striking in the bi
cotton mills there. and that similar &C
ton will be taken at other New Englan
mill centers during the present week.
The Industrial Workers are sending OF
learned, asking individual mill opera
tives whether they are ready to 60 out
a general strike as a protest against tn
trial of Ettor and Giovannitti. ~ It
not conducted properly"
RIOTING ALL MORNING.
The days rioting which continued 6
intervals all morning after the first vic
lence at the opening OF the mills an
broke out again at the noon hour, flashe
out once more at closing time tonight. A
the corner of Essex and Union streets
crowd of Italian operatives and sympf
thizers who were on strike met some Pr
ush workmen coming from one OF tt
mills. The two parties at once came
blows but a squad of police leaped I'M
the midst of the tumult with drawn clut
and after a few moments of hard fightir
dispersed the crowd.
The riots were handled by 200 city ar
State police. Automobiles at the centr
station house took flying squadrons
officers wherever serious trouble was r
ported.
Women and children were sufferers
the evening riot as they had been du
Ing the morning. Several were knock'
down and apparently trampled upo
but none appeared to be seriously hui
Dinner pals were snatched from q
hands OF operatives returning from wo
and hurled back into the faces OF q
owners. The State police assisted the CT
patrolmen in uuelling this disturbanc
there being about 80 officers altogeth
n the squad While the Lawrence IN
used their clubs. the State officers DIRE
their revolvers when the crowd becar
more menacing. and at the point OF Z
levelled weapons the mob was driv
In sullen retreat for several blocks
tore II finally dispersed.
One OF the addresses In Italian arous
the crowd at the afternoon mass met
Ing. III Ettor. Govannitti and Caru
are found guilty" the speaker said. "
either of them Is found guilty, the
dustrial Workers Of the World "
march to Salem. storm the jail and RI
cue the prisoners. II possible"
WAY CALIFORNIA ADVERTIsEs
MONTPELIER. Oct. Is. s. Ballard, secl