New Britain herald., 1915-01-23
Icga1izcd Gunmen.
(Boston Transcript.)

New Jersey Is an old state and her | methods for protecting her citizens | and maintaining order should by this 1 time have been perfected. The epi- sode of shooting down score of un- armed strikers at Roosevelt, by inn | ported private detectives. SD called.
 would have been incxcueabl in the
 new states of Arizona and New Mex ico, where traces of the old processes of settling differences perhaps still re- main. In New Jersey 1t stands forth as a reproach that it will not be easy to satisfactorily explain. The Boston massacre" has been embaln1ed in his tory as one Of the events that justified resistance to British authority. though the soldiers were not tho attacking party. Yet the results were no more bloody that in this instance, and the provocation was by no means as great
 If the reports Of this affair are to be depended upon 1t was a wanton slaugh- ter of unresisting men by imported detectives under irresponsible leader ship. There is always danger in the enlistment of aid under such condi- tions Whether il was donc at the in- stance of the local authorities or the 1
 
 strike was directed, does not matter. 1 The strike had not reached the point of violence. None of the four hun dred engaged in 1t had arms in their possession, so far as is known. They had not gone beyond the preliminary stages of peaceful pickcting" and per suasion, but at an apparent signal from their leader the detectives | which might have killed women and children as well as the men engaged in the strike. This is more indefen- sibl than anything that has happened in Colorado during the past year. There was not attempt to return the fire and apparently these human targets had no means of doing so They were no expecting to run up against what is little better than cold -blooded murder, though masked under the prctence of an exercise of autho hority.
 While the dead cannot be restored i -o life, New Jersey can purge herself | If responsibility for this wholesale crime only by putting this force of private detectives on trial for man. slaughter and administering appro-
  trillc we know nothing. Whether tho nen had reason on their side or not makes no difference They certainly lad done nothing to justify such an and dcaly assault. and he sympathy of the public will at | ncc go out to them. as we'll as it's .of their assailants This $ an object lesson that should be l.
 .ast year 1t refused to pass a state bill to organize q force mlar tO that which has proved | - uch an effective arm of thc protcc- n We service in the state of PennsyI- oi ania. That does not go around the l tl ate killing unarmcd men, but it n oes maintain a degree of order that I c; as unkuowin before it was placed in l cl Evidently New Jersey | W ccds it to save her from herself. here are always the conditions Of a' oublc where imported detectives. in C ,stcd with duuhtful authority. arc ar lllcd in to settle local troubles There ot a hill to establish n state const,- l'i Ilary before New York Legislature th 1d this bloody affair will doubtless do ls uch to secure it's adoption. New ~" 'rsey should promptly do likewise z, ,- ld forbid the employment of what aa @ called 'legalizcd gunmcn" here a ter. .