Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-09-16

policing industry. Extensive investi-
cations OF the organization, personnel,
and activities of the Pennsylvania
State Constabul. ry were made and a
number of witnesses were heard at
length. The innings with regard to
this particular police organization
may be briefly stated: 1t is an ex-
tremely efficient force for crushing |
strikes, but it is not successful in pre- |
venting violence in connection with |
strikes, in maintaining the legal and
civil rights of the parties to the dis |
|pute, nor in protecting the public. On
the contrary, violence seems to in
crease rather than diminish when the
constabulary is brought into an indus
trial dispute; the legal and civil rights
of the workers have on numerous oc-
casions been violated by the constab-
ulary; and citizens not in any way
connected with the dispute and inno-
cent ofany interference with the con-
stabulary have been brutally treated
and in one case shot down by mem
bers of the constabulary, who have
escaped punishment for their acts.
Organized upon a strictly military
basis, it appears to assume in taking
the field in connection with strike,
that the strikers are its enemies and
| the enemies of the State, and that a
campaign should be waged against
them as such.
There are certain features of the
State police system, however, which
| seem to be preferable to- the present.
haphazard methods of policing strikes.
1t is desirable, first, that all kinds of
police should receive their entire com
pensation from the State. Second,
an organized force, whose records are
known, is preferable both to the pri-.
Vate police of corporations and to the
deputies ordinarily sworn in by sher-
ifs. Third, it is desirable that the
force should be. strictly disciplined ana
subject to definite orders. Fourth, it
is desirable that those in command
of any police forcee should have a
reasonably secure tenure of office and
should have had previous experience
under similar circumstances, as an in
experienced person is likely to become
panic stricken by the mere presence
of crowds, regardless of their actions.
If these desirable features could be
combined with other features which
would insure their impartiality during
industrial disputes, and raise their
! ideals from the present miliaristic ba-
sis to the police basis of preserving
the peace and protecting the rights
of both parties and the public, the es-
Establishment of State police systems
disputes might be recommended. But
for use in connection with Industrial
under present conditions it seems de-
sirable rather to leave the, State POI
licing Of industrial disputes to the
sherifs and the militia if the restric-
tions hereinafter, suggested are rigid
" enforced SO as to protect both the
organization and the personnel from
partisanship." ]
4 Free Speech.
z. Zone of the greatest sources of
social unrest and bitterness has been
1.-The attitude of the police toward pub
ilic speaking. On numerous occasions
IN every part of the country the po-
Ilice Of cities and towns have either ar
tbitrarily or under the cloakzof traf-
&c ordinance. interfered with or pro
Inhibited public speaking, both in the
open and in halls, by persons connect
ed with organizations of which the
police or those from whom they re-
IceiVed their orders did not approve.
In many instances such interference
has been carried out with degree Of
brutality which would be incredible If
# were not youehed for by reliable
Witnesses. Bloody riots frequently
have accompanied: such interferencel
and large numbers Of persons have
been arrested for actsao Of which they
were innocent Of which were com
mltted under the extreme PROPAGATION
Of brutal treatment Of police or pri-