The Washington herald., 1917-03-13
DEMANDS DEPORTATION
OF STRIKEBREAKERS
Head of Federal Union Calls on Police
to Gust "Gunmen."

H. NJ. McLarin, of the Federal EN-
ployes' Union, made a demand upon
the District Commissioners yesterday
for the deportation Of the strike-
breakers. His letter to Commissioner
oliver p. Newman said:
"As the representative of more than
1000 citizens Of the District Of Colum-
bia who are interested in the welfare
of the whole community, we appeal to
you to protect the city from the inn
portation 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 Inn
mediately unless they can show that
they are men of good character. As a
precedent for action on this request,
we cite the action of the director Of
public safety of Jersey City in order
ing the chief of police to deport from
that city this character of men brought
there to break a strike. When such
thugs were iaken to Jersey City they
were searched and Investigated. II
they are armed or have criminal rec
oTds they are sent to the penitentiary.
Jersey City has an ordinance making
it a crime for an armed man or ex-
convict to enter the city for the pur-
pose of breaking a strike.
Letter of Director.
Herewith are excerpts from the
safety before the convention of the
American Federation of Labor at Bal
timore last November. showing vividly
what we regard as tho proper methods
of dealing with such a situation as
that with which Washington is now
confronted, and which has proven most
satisfactory in Jersey City"
The letter quoted by McLarin as
establishing a basis for the deporta-
tion Of strikebreakers mentions Bay
onne. N. j., from which many OF the
strikebreakers now in the city were
recruited. 1t says:
'Mr. Frank Monahan. Chief of Police.
Jersey City, N. J.:
1T has been my firm conviction for
a long time that the majority of So
called 'strikebreakers' are notorious
gunmen and ex-convicts who have no
regard for human life, and who. with
weapons in their possession to MAIN
and kill inoffensiye citizens"
Bystapders Injured.
I'm several instances, not only have
strikers been killed or wounded, but in
with the strike have been shot down.
In New York there are hundreds Of
gunmen waiting for Just such an op-
portunity; passing as "strikebreakers.'
they go about armed with revolvers and
other weapons committing all sorts OF
crimes. I am unalterably opposed to this
sort of men being employed as so-called
"strikebreakers'' and I shall do every
thing in my power to prevent It.
'frThe nOlice able to coma with any
strike situation. as they are with any
similar situation that may arise. Here
after when a strike takes place you
are to take charge of the police arrange
ments and afford all necessary protec-
ton to employers as well as to the en-
ployes. II you find that out-of-town agen-
cies have been employed to furnish So
called strikebreakers you are to enter
protest, and II the agency Is one
which employs New York gunmen as
strikebreakers you will have such men
searched. II weapons are found upon
them they shall be placed under arrest
and though they have no weapons, but
are recognized as gunmen or ex-con-
victs. they shall be placed under arrest
and charged with being disorderly per-
sons and shall be dealt with as in the
ordinary course OF the law.
The importation of thugs and gunmen
into our city shall not be permitted
will not tolerate a condition that Will
permit the employment OF such men,
and II necessary. I will drive them from
the city the moment they arrive.
Wherever these agencies are employ
ed riots and murder follow. 1t is just
these conditions I am striving to pre-
vent: gunmen and ex-convicts are un-
desirables. I shall not be a party to
having them employed to shoot down
respectable citizens"