The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-03-02
THE LAWRENCE STRIKE.


We see some intimations that there
is q purpose, carried out In part by
actual pressure, TO prevent the strik.
ers at Lawrence. Massachusetts, from
where they can receive shelter and he
properly fed while the STRIFE Is on.
For a good while, there have been re-
movals of the strikers children from
Lawrence TO various points some 250
of them having been sent 10 New York
and considerable number 10 other
cities, Barrie, Vermont, having received
50 of them, and other numbers going
TO other New England towns. But it
appears that ono lot Of children were
forcihlv prevented from leaving the
place 1t was so gross breach Of
personal rights. however, that public
disapprovsl was instant and unaui-
nous: and all concerned in the outrage,
at once, "with one consent began to
make excuses And the outrage was
not repeated.
Now, it is clearly the right Of the
strikers. or Of any citizens, 10 send
their children, or any part Of their
families, to friends elsewhere. if they
sec fit, aud think that the children will
he better off through the sending. It
is impossible 10 undertake 10 apply
the medieval siege methods in such
case, In the Middle Ages, it was com.
ryh oft
for the besicgcrs to refuse to allow any
persons in the beleaguered town to
come out, this for the evident reason
that the more who remained in the
town TO be fed the sooner the food
supplies would be exhausted, and the
place would be reduced TO submission
by starvation. But to apply such bar,
barous methods in this late day and
age. and especially TO apply them for
the prevention of children getting away
from n place where food is scarce and
supplies hard TO procure by their par
cnts, is something so revolving TO the
sense of American fairness that the
community at large will necessarily
condemn any obstacle put in the way
Of the sending out Of such children.
1t is bad enough to have a strike,
with the losses. the turmoil, and the
Interruption to ordinary community
life which such strike entails, without
adding thereto the barbarous methods
of the dark ages. 1t may be said that
il the strikers families as all peuned
-,
all sooner than if the children could be
sent away. But that is not the sort
of warfare that will be tolerated in
this day and age by An American com.
muuity. Besides, il is impossible to see
under what authority the sending out
of the children could be prevented It
is quite out of the question that there
should he any law that would prevent
children or any free person from eoiug
from one town TO another; il is quito
out of the question 10 suppose that any
military regulation would actually i'm.
pose any such restriction or hardship
as this.
And so II seems incredible that there
should be any actual interference with
the sending out OF those children from
Lawrence. and certain that auv attempt
made 10 prevent such transfer of the
children must necessarily fail; because il
is clear that there is no warrant in law
for it. and no authority under which
any official could act in preventing
the children from leaving Lawrence.
NJ no att
ference of the kind would he acting
without authority OF LAW. and without,
any justification whatever in American
ideas or American procedure. Besides,
Governor Foss OF Massachusetts =
Democrat, who has a mild Presidential
boom Of his own, could hardly no ex.
pected 10 permit any such interference
with the free outgoing of children from
Lawrence. Therefore, while il nigh,
be that some hard hearted mll.owners,
who have been in the habit OF putting
INTO their own pockets the higher wages
supposed bv the tariff to be assured to
American workmen. would be glad 10
see auv sort Of harsh. restrictive meas
ureS applied 10 the strikers. II would
seem impossible thar they would be
able to prevail upon ANYBODY in au-
thority In Massachusetts 10 carry out
such barbarous proposition. one so un-
founded in the law, and so contrary 10 all
American traditions aud IDEAS.
The news this morning is that sue
cessful negotiations 10 end the strike
are in progress. These will end all con