The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-25
by ,1AnLEN f. PEW.

Especial TO The Times Dispatch.
Ia wrenco. Mass. February Pa
crisis is duo IN the strike OF the %. 900
men. women and children OF the tex.
tile mills. Following to-day's savage
attack hy tho police and militia upon
the children. who. to escape the wolves
Of want were 10 have left the CITY to
be cared for by the oitizons of Phila-
delphia and Providence, tho strikers
tonight felt that tho Inst straw or
oppression has been laid on their
backs, and that now something from
the outside. probably tile Federal ..ov.
eminent. must come 10 rescue them
from Stn:e and civil outlaw-y
Those who saw the action to-day Of
the police and militia in tho Boston
and Maine depot declare that such
high handed, law-dcfying un-Ameri-
can practices are intolerobIe I'm this
country. ana that It Is inconcelvable
that tho outrage viii be allowed TO
pass unnoticed.
This IS what happened: Three weeks
ego tho strike committee resolved
that. While men and women could live
on free soup. or even starvc rather
than submit 10 the salary cut aver
aging % cents a week tho children
must not and should not suffer the
pangs Of hunger.
Dependent for Seven Weeks.
For seven weeks now thousands Of
tile strikers have been dependent for
life necessities upon the union or tho
charities of sympathetic umionists the
country over. II was Il severe strain
Upon tho resources of the relief com
mittcc. When the children began to
feel tho pinch of want Ii was dccid ed
to send them away. hundreds OF SYM
pathizers In New York, Philadelphia
aud many other cities volunteering to
care for them until normal conditions
could be established.
Each Saturday the strikc commIttsc
has been sending little ones out of the
town. The mill agents. assisted by the
civil and military authorities, their
requests notoriously amounting Il
orders frowned upon this plan. The
hope of the MIL agents Is that the
lions when they and their families
nave mad enough free soup" This is
common talk among them They
ordered Mayor scanion and Marshal
Sullivan TO Illustrate the child relief
plan. \ week aSn an attempt. partial
~ successful, WAS made TO keep the
little ones In Lawrence, the police then
contendins that tho chlldren'e parents
had not consented TO allow the strike
committee to send them away.
To-day this happened: Fifty ragged
boys and girls, each wearing a tag.
were escorted TO the depot Tickets
We're purchased for Philadelphia or
Providence Fifty mothers, sisters ana
brothers OF the children were on the
station platform or III the waiting
room to see them off The train back
ed Into the depot. Then, quickly. a
squad OF policemen. clubs drawn men
acingly, swooped down on the party.
you cannot leave town Get out OF
hero and go home" the officers grun,y
commanded a member OF the strike
committee assured the police that
every child wore tag upon which was
written the authorization of the
parents.
THAT makes no difference" said the
police. The whole batch OF you have
got to so back"
soldiers md Police,
Some of the mothers started will,
tneir children for the train. The
police showed Nom back, and then
came the soldiers. Stalwart American
men. in uniform. carrying rifles with
gltstening bayoncts drawn, with load
{Continued On Third Pa6el