Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-14
CINCINNATI POLICE
!. co OUT ON STRIKE
Members Of Home Guard
Called Into Service as
Is Substitutes.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CINCINNATI, September 14.-Be-
tween the hours Of 8 and pm. yes
terday this city was guarded by only
forty-eight policemen. a strike Of the
guardians Of the law here having been
declared and carried out when the sec
ond shift, which daily reported at pm.
failed to put in an appearance. At Z
pm, however. 600 members OF the Home
Guard. under the personal command OF
Col Charles F. Hake. took command:
and the dark drab of the guards greeted
the ewes OF the pedestrians where the
blue OF the policemen was accustomed
to be seen.
On Duty at Night.
A small batch Of bluecoated policemen
and large batch of drab-attired Home
Guards watched over Cincinnati during
the night. and this city awoke TINS
morning to it's second day Of police
mems strike When a recapitulatfon was
made by the police department after
Yesterdays exciting Incidents. 1t was
found that the departments full quota
numbered 621 men. OF these eignty-
three men have been called to the colors
ana not IcpldCSU, oA0 SASAH
or on vacations. 104 men have reported
for duty, while the remaining 1886 men
are on strike and automatically STAND
suspended. :,
six hundred home guards reported
promptly at am. today and relieved
This line Of procedure will be followed
out until the police force is reorgan-
ICED
Boy Scouts to Direct Traffic.
Safety Director Holmes announced
today that the Boy Scouts would be
pressed into service to regulate and
guide traffic at the principal corners.
There was no disorder reported during
the night and no preponderance OF
crime displayed itself above what Is
ordinarily reported.
The threat of a strike came like a
bombshell at police headquarters. For
several months the policemen have
been complaining that they were un-
derpaid. considering the high cost of
living. and numerous requests for In
creases have been made, but no init
nation that a strike was impending
was given until yesterday.
1t was learned by Chief of Police
Copelan that the policemen were
holding secret meeting. He sent
three detectives to the scene Of the
meeting, but these were denied ad-
mission. The detectives, being the
rolicemen's superiors, suspended two
of them on the spot. and when the
names of three others were given as
having been connected with refusing
the detectives admission. these three
were likewise suspended.
Demand Increase in Pay.
Half an hour later a demand was
presented to Safety Director Holmes
for an increase from $3.50 a year to
$500 and the reinstatement Of men
who had been suspended. A note ac-
companying the demand stated that
unless it was met by 3 pm. d strike
would be declared. The safety di-
rector did not answer the demand or
the note, and accordingly the second
shift men failed to appear. Instead
the safety director called upon the
home guards and was assured they
would be furnished Insufficient num-
bers to take care OF the situation.
They could not be mustered to-
gether, however. until p.m., and in
the meantime, according to the po-
licemen. only forty-eight members of
their force were on duty.