New Britain herald., 1915-05-18

(Lucy Huffaker in New York Tribune)
 The gunwoman, according to Police Commissioner Woods, is in our midst. Not for hatred, not for revenge nor for any personal motive does she com init violence, but for money. And the money comes, still according to the police commissioner, from trade unions. For the gunwoman s'w orks'' when there is a strike on.
 This startling statement, which would seem to indicate that women are initiating men in every way in the matter of making a living, was first made by Commissioner Woods the last of the week at the hearing in Wash ington of the Industrial Relations comission. Coming at time when there has been so much discussion of the case of Dopey Benny Fein, it caused a sensation. Also it has brought out denials from women who have taken part in labor affairs.
 If there is such a thing as a gum woman, who sells her services to do violence to non-union workers, Miss Rose Young and Mrs. Irez Miiholiand Boissevain don't know it. Yet they have picketed in the very strikes where the police commissioner says the gunwomen have been used.
 Used Back in 1910.
 '.As far back as the strike of the garment and cloak workers, in 1910, there were women who were hired to
 assault non-union workers" said Commissioner Woods. when asked to elaborate the statement he had made
 before the Industrial Relations com
 mission "In 1913, during the shirt
 waist strike. they were active again.
 These women, of course, work--if you call it working--only when there is a strike on of women. Naturally, they are not used when it is a mans union on strike.
 "When 1t comes to a matter of
 money it isn't bad business for the women--that is, if you would call it a business. A woman receives not less than $5 a day and sometimes as much as s7.5O, and the working hours are short also They go the eight-hour day one better. Usually the gum l woman is on duty only in the morn 1 ing and in the evening, when tine strike breakers are going to and from work.
 .sThese women are protected in every way. They are given picket cards so they cannot be distinguished l from the girls who are really mem ] bers of the union who are on the 1 picket line. If they should get into l trouble and be taken to court, there is l always some one to furnish them with counsel. If they are sent up-as they l sometimes are for five or ten days | they are paid their regular rate for l each day they are in jail.''
 l 'But who is the gunwoman? ?' l asked the commissioner You speak 1 as if she were not a member of the 1 union. Who is she? How and where l does the union get hold of herr" 1 GYnwon1an Part of tho Cadet System. l "she is a woman of the streets" an- 1 swered the commissioner. And she l is supplied by a cadet, of course. It is l just another way he has of making l her earn money for him. He will I know when there is a strike orr where | violence is wished and he will make ! the arrangements. If he has three or .I four women under his control he ! makes a good sum of money, ot 4 course
 I Sometimes the violence is not done 1 near the factory or shop where the 1 strikes on. We have names and dates 1 police about, so detection is easy
 oftentimes the woman will follow one 1 of tho workers home. She may not