The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-04
Member of Lawrence, Mass,
Committee of Strikers
Tells congressman Why He
Has Not Become NaturaIized.
HAS ALWAYS NEEDED The 81
To Buy Shoes for His Children,
He Says.
Appealed to Foreign Ambassa-
doris Rather Than to u. s.

| Washington, March samuel Lip
som, member of the Lawrence strike
| committee, told the house committee
on rules today that he had never be-
come an American citizen because ne
had found it necessary to spend for
shoes for his children the 81 natural
ization papers would 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 as char
acteriZed the hearing Saturday. Rep
resentative Wilson of Pennsylvania
submitted a letter from Dudley Hol-
Massachusetts, declaring conditions at
Lawrence had been greatly eXagger-
ated. The police, he said, were not
biased and were acting in the best in
terest of the children who were sent
away from Lawrence. Representa- tive
Hardwick of Georgia inquired of Lip
som the purpose of sending children
away from Lawrence.
Was it for their own good or to
arouse sympathy throughout the coun-
try?' was asked.
TT was to care for them, to keep
them from the dangers of the strike,
said LipSom.
when we tried to get the children
to the train,'' Lipsom continued, 1.-The
police pushed the women and chill
dren with clubs. They acted worse
than Russian Cossacks in times of
revolution. Things We're SO terrible
that we decided to appeal to our am
bassadors at Washington for protec-
ton We decided to find out if Law
renee was in Massachusetts, and II
Massachusetts was in the United
States"
ssThe most of you are foreigners
and you decided to appeal to for
eign government rather than to the
United States for protection?' asked
representative Hardwick.
IF necessary
Campbell Asks a Question.
Representative Campbell asked Lip
som if the strikers had sent COM
mittee to the mill owners.
Lipsom said a committee was sent
on one occasion and the members
were thrown down the stairs. This
he said, he did not see. Lipsom com
planned that Gov. Foss had not been
fair to the strikers. The chairman
asked for details of the strike commit
tees visit to Gov. FosS. He said the
governor was told that when a striker
was arrested the clerk of the court at
Lawrence refused to accept cash for
bail.
Samuel Gompers, president Ameri-
can federation of labor addressed the
He said he wished to APP
pear in support of the resolution for
an inquiry rather than as witness.
THE tragic conditions described at
Lawrence are indeed terrible and have
made an impression on the people of
this country Mr.. Gompers said.
The statement has been made that
the United Textile workers had failed
to organize these people and were or
ganized merely TO get money for the
workers. If that statement were true
the United Textile workers ought hot
to exist But it is not true. The truth
is that the tyrannical attitude of the
mill owners Of Lawrence in perTert1ag |
The minds of these poor people caused |
these conditions"
After the rules committee hearing |
had adjourned for luncheon and Presl- /
lent Gompers of the American Fedora
ion of Labor was leaving the building |
.wo unidentified labor men engaged
,im in argument charging that he was
not treating the Industrial Workers Of
he World fairly. A crowd surrounded
hem and the argument became heat
ID, several congressman interfering
md ending the dispute. The men wfo
Gompers would not tell
lim who trey We're.