The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-09-13
WILL NOT MEET
LABOR LEADERS
Police Commissioner Refuses
to Confer With President
of Police Union.
PEOPLE FAVOR HIS STAND
Strikers Deny Willingness to
Give Up Unionism-New
Men Get Higher Pay.

GIVE up Unlonlsm-NeW
Men Get Higher Pay.
Boston, Sept. 13. - Police
Commissioner Curtis this after
noon declined to confer with
labor leaders, including Presi-
dent McInnis, of the striking
Policemen's union.
Gov. Coolidge announced in d
telegram this afternoon to Pres
ident Compers, of the American
Federation of Labor, that he
would support Commissioner
Curtis in the latter's action de-
claring vacant the places of
striking police officers.
Policemen W h O deserted
their posts" and precipitated the
most sanguinary strike in the
history of Boston will not be
taken back on the force. Their
places are to be filled by re-
cruits, many of whom served in
the army or navy, at salaries
somewhat in excess of those
paid the striking policemen.
This was Police Commits
sioner Curtis reply this after
noon to the appeal of Samuel
Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor,
that the strike be abandoned by
both sides until after the gen.
eral labor conference called by
President Wilson in Washing
ton early next month.
REJECTS MEMS REQUEST.
Boston, Sept. l3.-The strik-
ing policemen's request to be
taken back on the force regard
less of their union affiliations
was rejected by Gov. Coolidge
at a conference today with the
leaders of the Policemen's union
and of the Central Labor union.
The governor supported the stand
OF Police Commissioner Edwin U.
Curtis who declared the strikers po-
sitions vacant and said he would re-
cruit a new force largely from the
ranks of eX-service men.
This action was announced almost
at the same time that a serious and
| peculiar shooting affair was taking
place at the corner of Boylston and
fremont streets. A youth named
Gustave Gaist, aged 90, of Dorches-
! ter, after an argument with state
| guardsman, was shot and killed by
the guardsman and the bullet, pass
ing through his body, hit woman.
According to the guardsman, Gaist
attempted to take his rifle away from
| him.
Patrolmen Surrender.
President McInnes, Of the police-
mems union, declared that the strik-
| ing patrolmen had surrendered.
| While the conference was in prog
ress Commissioner Curtis issued a
| statement declaring he had been ad-
| Vised by the state attorneygene
that the places of the strikers auto
| matically became vacant when they
| deserted"
! President McInnes' statement that
the police had surrendered" meant
! that they were willing to go back to
their old jobs as nonunion men, Civ,
| ing up their membership in the
union, he said.
President Mccarthy, of the Central
| Labor union, when asked if a general
strike would be called. refused to
make any statement. President Nc
Innes will report back to the police
mons union at a special meeting to-
night.
Places Vacant.
Commissioner Curtis statement
| follows:
1T is manifest that the places in
| the police force of Boston formerly
/ held by the men who deserted their
posts of duty have by this action
/ been rendered vacant. l am advised
] by the attorney general that upon
, the existing facts the offices formerly
, held by members of the Boston po-
! lice force to whom | have referred
are in fact and in law vacant.
/ 81 shall accordingly proceed, in
accordance with law and in strict
compliance with the requirements of
the civil service laws, to I'LL these
vacancies with new men. l have
submitted to the mayor of Boston
recommendations for the immediate
| adoption relating to a revision of SAIL
aries for the lowest paid members of
the police force, and l shall later sub
init recommendations for a revision
of the entire salary list.
II have further requested the civil
service commission to grant me au-
| thority to appoint TO the police force
any veteran as defined by chapter $50
of the general acts of 1919, whether
such veteran be resident of Boston
or not.
The attorney general has ruled
that such veteran must be a resident
of the commonwealth, but need not
be a resident OF the city of Boston,
Assumes Responsibility?
New York, Sept. 1S.--When in.
formed of the action of Police Com
missioner Curtis, of Boston, in de
claring vacant the posts of the strik
|