The Washington times., 1917-03-13
LACK CKAUTHORITYTO
DEPORT BREAKERS
Commissioners Reply to Re-
quest Made by Head Of Fed
eraI Employees.

The Commissioners are without au-
thority to deport strike breakers un-
der any circumstances. This was the
answer sent by Commissioner New
man today to H. NJ. McLarin, presi-
dent of the Federal Employees Union,
in answer to his request that the
strike breakers be deported "unless
they can show that they are men of
good character"
The men temporarily employed BY
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company are amenable to the laws
of the District, and will be treated
as residents of the District are treat
ed" said Commissioner Newman.
There is no law by which they can
be deported.
"As long as they conduct them
selves in q quiet and orderly man
ner they will be shown the same
consideration. Violation of the law,
as In the case of a District resident,
OF course, would be followed by ar
rest"
In his letter to Commissioner New
man, President McLarin included eX-
cerpts from a report made by the d.
rector of public safety of Bsyonne,
N. J., at a convention of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor on the char
acter of men employed as strike
breakers in Bayonne several years
ago.
President McLarin's letter OF pro-
test against the presence of strike
breakers is. in part, as follows:
MeLarin's Letter.
"As the representative of more
than 1000 citizens of the District Of
Columbia who are interested in the
welfare OF the whole community, we
appeal to you to protect the city from
the importation OF hired gunmen and
thugs to break the strike on the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company lines. These men are said
to be the worst possible characters
and their presence here should not be
tolerated.
I'VE ask that they be deported i'm
mediately unless they can show that
they are men of good character. As q
precedent for action on this request.
We cite the action of the director II
public safety of Jersey City in order
that city this character OF men
brought there to break a strike. When
such thugs were taken to Jersey City
they were searched and investigated.
II they are armed or have criminal
records they are sent to the peniten-
tiary.
Letter of Director.
Herewith are excerpts from the
49, 49, - 49,
safety before the convention Of the
American Federation of Labor at Bal
timore last November, showing vivid
ly what we regard as the proper meth
DDS OF dealing with such a situation
as that with which Washington is
now confronted, and which has proven
most satisfactory in Jersey City. II
says:
4" Mr.. Frank Monahan, chief of police,
Jersey City, n. J.:
att has been my firm conviction
for a long time that the majority of
so-called strike breakers" are no
torious gunner and ex-convicts who
have no regard for human life, and
who, without the slightest provoca-
tion, use the weapons in their posses
sion to MAIN and kill inoffensive citi-
zens.'
Bystanders Injured.
ain several instances, not only have
strikers been killed or wounded, but
inOffensive citizens haVing no con-
nection with the strike have been
shot down. In New York there are
Of gunmen waiting for just
such an opportunity: passing as
strike breakers they go about armed
with revolvers and other weapons
all sorts of crimes. I am
unalterably opposed to this sort OF
men being employed as so-called
strike breakers and shall do every
thing in my power to prevent II.
THE Importation OF thugs and gun
men into our city shall not be per-
mitted. ! will not tolerate a condi-
tion that will permit the employment
OF such men, and IL necessary, i VIII
drive them from the cftv the rnoment