The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1913-07-17
THF TPEwICH STRIKE

mUa H f.Nn #He I.puich mill which
employs about 900 workers is tied
up ln tae strike A small mill employ
Iue 800 hands. buys on its thread and
yarn. yet ia able TO pay % per cent
more wages than the large min which
manufactures directly from the raw
cotton.
ON April 90 the employees Of the
Ipswich mill walked out on strike de
handing more wages. From the pay
envelopes that have been produced the
wages averaged from $500 to 5000 a
week
The most prominent stockholders
and directors of this mill are Bishop
Lawrence and Judge Caleb Loring.
Up to June 10 there was no trouble
to mar the strike. By this time the
town had exhausted its treasury main
tanning unnecessary police. A meet
ing Of the authorities was called for
this very evening to find means Of arts
ing more funds to maintain the extra
police. The citizens were opposed to
shouldering more debt and a strong
reason was necessary TO put the deal
through. II is significant enough that
riot was pulled a few hours before
the town meeting After this trouble
the city officials appropriated $4,000
for the police.
On this evening of June 10 the strik-
ers paraded before the mill as usal.
The scabs began to make some dis
turbance, elbowing and crowding the
strikers into the street. Instead Of
keeping order, the police began to ar
rest strikers. Some strikers gathered
around some Of the special policemen
that were dragging a sixteen-year-old
girl towards the automobile. None Of
the strikers lifted a hand. Suddenly
the police charged the strikers with
drawn clubs and revolvers. They be-
gan to club and shoot into the crowd
which had no chance to get away.
Other police stationed farther down
the street hemmed the strikers in, Civ
ing no opportunity to escape. Some Of
the strikers climbed fences and others
escaped through the yards. One wom-
an was instantly killed with bullet
in the head. Ten more were sent to
the hospital to recover from the bullet
and club wounds Most of these were
women and girls. No policemen were
hurt as the strikers did not resist.
Following this brutal attack, nine
teen strikers were thrown into jail
charged with riot and some with muir
der. Parades were forcibly stopped,
meetings in the hall were suppressed
and the town passed an ordinance
against free speech and public as
semblage. Some labor reporters were
denied admission into the court room.
An editor of Boston weekly was fore
IDLY elected from the town hall where
the trials were held.
During the hearing on the riot"
charges there was no proof submit
ted that strikers committed acts of
violence. The murder charge was
squashed. Fourteen persons were
bound over to the grand jury charged
his opinion an officer fired the shot
with riot The judge declared that in
Atwill gave out a similar statement
in the local court Despite all this
the judge ruled that there was no
such thing as peaceful picketing," evil
dentaly disregarding the action of the
| legislature which made picketing law
full last spring.
After the meetings were suppressed,
the strikers took refuge in friendly
churchyard. Even here the police ar
rested speakers and threats were made
that strike meetings on church prop
erty would be broken up At the same
time certain persons who are inter
ested i nbreaking the strike are agitat-
ing for a vigilante squad to violently
drive the speakers and strike leaders
out of town. Threats have been made
Of driving all the strikers out for fear
that they will vote solid and get con
troll of the town political machinery.
Despite all this the strikers are hold
ing out strong. For ten weeks they
have struggled silently without asking
for outside help. But now their funds
are nearly exhausted. Help must come
before they are forced into defeat. An
Ipswich Defense League, Box 2S2, Ips.
witch, Mass, has been organized TO as
sist the strikers financially. As strike
funds are not safe from Injunction We
urge that all funds be sent to the
league. Branches of this league have
been established in cities all over the
country and more are forming. All
friends Of labor are requested to rush
funds to help win this strike.
IPSWICH STRIKE COMMITTEE