Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-02-18

ascertain The strikers, of course,
claim that at the time of these oc-
currances they were standing about
in groups on the corner singing
hymns. This is about as true as the
usual statement of the officer that he
was leading the offender gently by
the sleeve to a place of safety. The
fact probably is that the strikers be-
came irritating and offensive to a
degree almost unbearable, and the of :
ficer loses his temper and commits
some act of extreme brutality that
causes a greater disturbance of the
peace than the strikers would have
caused if left alone.
MY honest opinion is that the men
( in some cases probably deserved
rough handling, but in the case of
Adelina PalmarOzza and in that OF
COneetta GiOfana, 1 believe black
Jacks were used ON women without
justification. and that Is n disgrace
to the police force of the city of New
ark. that should be wiped out by an
investigation demanded by the men
ON the force themselves, and by the
production of evidence to prove. If
possible. that II WAS done only In the
preservation of human life.
In connection with this matter let
me cite two incidents connected with
the strike that show how difficult it is
to come to any agreement so long as
both sides are guilty-on the one side
violence, on the other unreasoning
prejudice.
Says Revolver Was Drawn.
"On the morning When the strikers
broke the windows in the shop OF
Sanford & Solimini [ found that Mr.
Solimini had drawn a revolver on a
couple of women and used language
that WAS entirely uncalled for. The
strikers thereupon promptly smashed
the windows in his shop. Arriving or
the spot shortly after this disturbance
occurred, l interviewed several men
and women who had witnessed the
| affair and, after assuring myself
| that they had had no opportunity tC
frame up a story, took their affida
Wits. Mr.. Solimlni informed me that
he had a perfect right to CARRY a
revolver, because he had a permit sc
to do, and, after telling me that he
had the revolver in the shop, solemnIy
swore that he did not have ii with
him at the time complained Of. The
evidence against him. however, was
of such a character as to preclude
any doubt that he had threa tened the
women on the street and pointed &
revolver in their faces. Now, this Mr.
Solimini of whom I have just Spoken
works for Rogers, Peet q Co. of New
| York. During the early part of my
| investigation I called up Rogers, Pee
& Co. on the telephone and talked
with Mr. Griffin, one of the manager.
of the company, and invited him Il
| attend a conference of contractors
manufacturers and union men.
"He absolutely refused to have any
thing 10 do with any effort 10 settl.
the strike and gave as his reason
that the strikers had broken the win
dows of SOIimini's shop, and adde,
that they did not act like human be
ings. bur like beasts
This unreasoning and brutal atti
| tude on the part of those who SHOULD
| feel keenly their responsibility, can
not be too severely condemned, for
/ constitutes a real menace to the com
munity. On the other hand, we hav
! the case where a non-union man wa
roughly handled while on his way t
work. The right to the use of tn
! public highway free from molesta
ton is fundamental and an infringe
ment of this right cannot be tolerate
for a minute, and every such act o
violence on the part of the striker
depriyes them of the support of publ
opinion. The feature of this strike
however, which / consider ethe mos