River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-07-24
HUNDREDS RIOT IN
SEATTLE STREETS
SAILORS AND CITIZENS SACK so.
CIALlST, AND ALSO l. w. w.
HEADQUARTERS.
MELEE Is FINALLY QUELLED
Provost Guard and Police Succeed in
Restoring Order-Speech by
Secretary of Navy
Misconstrued.

Seattle, Wash, July 21.-Crowds of
sailors from the Pacific reserve feet,
at anchor In the bay, aided by hun
dreds Of men and boys who came
down town to join in the city's annual
celebration, attacked the Socialists,
and also the Industrial Workers of
the World headquarters here, sacking
the buildings and dumping the furni-
ture into the streets.
Two distinct parties made the at
tack. The first, in the northern part
of the business district, wrecked the
Socialist headquarters near Fifth av-
enue and Virginia street. The second,
In the southern part of the downtown
section, attacked the Industrial Work
ers of the World headquarters, dump
ing the furniture into the street and
making bonfire of it.
A provost guard of so men was sent
ashore from the warships to quell the
disorder, but at 1920 o'clock 200 yell
ing civilians, headed by dozen men
of-warsmen, carrying aloft the Stars
and Stripes, paraded down Fourth ave-
VI
the night life of the city, toward Wash
ington street, where most of the In
dustriaI Workers of the World congre-
gate.
Expect No Further Damage.
The police and the provost guard
had taken hold of the situation and
believe that no further damage would
be done. The provost guard began
rounding up all the sailors ashore and
sending them back to their ships.
In course of the rioting, the sail
Drs shouted to the police:
your mayor won't do anything to
protect the flag, so we are saving
your ethyl"
A young civilian who had been en-
deavoring to incite the sailors, kept
shouting to them to GO and get May
Or Cotterill!" No arrests were made.
During the administration of Mayor
Cotterill all street speakers have been
given full license to speak, as long
and as loudly as they chose, provided
they did not block traffic or display
the red flag. The Industrial Work
ers of the World have held meetings
every night at three public squares.
The meetings generally have been
orderly. Mayor Cotterill has been
assailed in the newspapers and other
wise for permitting public speaking
by the Industrial Workers, but he
has insisted that the meetings did
not violate the law.
During the city's annual celebration
hundreds of men from the Pacific re-
serve fleet were given shore leave,
and Thursday many soldiers from
Fort Lawton and Fort Flagler were
1T liberty. A number of soldiers and
sailors got into a fight with men at
tending an Industrial Workers street
meeting Thursday night and three sol
diers were beaten, two of them so
severely as to require dressing of
their injuries at the City hospital.
Praises the Flag.
Shortly before midnight Thursday,
Secretary of the Navy Josephus Dan
lels, addressing a banquet given at
the Rainier club in his honor, spoke
In tribute to the American flag and
took occasion to praise the attitude
Of the mayor of Boston, who stopped
. red flag parade.
1.-THE red flag has no place in this
country" he said, land believers in
It have no place in this country. A
mayor who does not enforce the law
against the red flag is not fit to hold
office, and people who believe in the
red flag should be driven from the
country"
This portion of the secretary's
speech was very likely misconstrued
by the rioters.