New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-14
Only Reply Left A. F. of L.
Is to Fulfill Pledge to
Displaced Men and At.
tempt City-Wide Tie-Uu
Officials Ready
To Face Crisis
Federal Troops To Be
Called and Issue Fought
Out for Sake of Its Eff.
feet on Whole Nation

Staff Correspondence
6oSTON, MASS, SEPT. 1a.-Ths
striking policemen of this citv to-day
look union banners to the State uo,s.
andn laid it at the feet of 4bo
''"of u massachusetts,. They offered
surrender to the authorities of the
state and city and to return to work
as individuals regardless of their af-
nllation with the American Federation
OF Labor on the basis of the status
quo ante suggested by Samuel Com
pers The offer was made at q con.
ference between Governor Coolidpe
and representatives Of the policemen's
union, President O'Donnel of the Cen
trail Labor Union of Boston and F. x
Mccarthy. organizer of the American
Federation of Labor The Governor
turned over their offer to Police Com
missioner E. U. Curtis, whose reply
to the labor leaders offer was lock-
out OF all Of the striking policemen.
Men Cannot Be Heinstated
Acting upon an opinion given By
Attorney General Harry Wyman to the
effect that "the men are not in law or
In fact members of the Police Depart
ment and cannot be re1nstated.n
Commissioner Curtis issued the fol-
lowing statement
at is manifest that the places in
the police force of Boston formerly
held by men who deserted their
posts have by this action been rem
dered vacant. I am advised by tbs
Attorney General that upon the ex-
listing facts the Offices formerly held
by the members of the police force
to whom I have referred are in fact
and in law vacant. | shall accord
ingly proceed in accordance with
law and in strict compliance With
the requirements of the civil service
laws to fill these vacancies with
new men.
II have submitted to the Mayor OF
Boston recommendations for imme-
date adoption relating to a revision
of salaries for the lower paid mem
bers of the police force. and I shall
later submit recommendations for
revision of the entire salary list.
have further requested the Civil
Service Commission 10 grant me au-
thority to appoint to the police force
any veterans as defined by Chapter
$50 of General Acts of 1919, wheth-
er such veteran be a resident Of
Boston or not"
Governor Approves Attitude
Governor Coolidge gave prompt ap-
proval to the attitude of Commissioner
Curtis, saying: 81, too, will be guided
by the opinion of the Attorney Gem
eral"
The general quiet and order of the
city, maintained with efficiency by the
FIVE thousand guardsmen patrollinp the
streets, was disturbed to-day by the
shooting and death o. one man and the
wounding of a woman bystander. Tho
shooting took place at fremont and
Boylston Streets. The dead man is
Gustave Geist. twenty-five wears old. Of
Dorchester He was ordered by
guardsman not to loiter about the
place and to move on. According 70
eyewitnesses tie man refused and
seized the guardsman's gun. Another
slstance and fired at Geist. who died on
the way to local hospital.
The authorities declared that Red
literature and arms were found on the
mans body. The woman, who was hit
accidentally by the same bullet which
struck Geist. is Mary James, for.y-two
years old. She was taken to hospital.
where physicians said she will recover.
Developments in the strike situation
to-day followed each other in quick
succession. with the lockout of the
striking policemen as the upshot and
the possibility of a general strike re-
vived
Major General Clarence r. Edwards
and Rear Admiral Herbert o. Dunn.
commandant of the 1st Naval District.
conferred to-day on possible Joint ac-
ton for the protection of life and prop
erty in Boston In event of general
strike and the inability Of the Massa-
chusetts National Guard to handle the
situation. 1t was announced later bv
officials of the Northastern Depart
ment that everything was in readiness
to rush Federal service men into Bos-
ton on an hours notice
1t was estimated that tho army and