New-York tribune., 1919-09-15
General Strike Unlikely ::
Union ENJOYS to Ask
Boston Commissioners.
TO Renistate Officev
Plan to Adjust
Trouble Reported
Statement by A. F. of L..
Head Held as Admis.
sion Leaders Blundcred

sion Leaders Blundcred
BOSTON, Sept 1.-the fate of tire
locked-out policemen of Boston was
definitely decided tonight when Cow
ernor Coolidge, in a telegram to Samuel
Gompers. sent in reply to the latters
message TO the Governor begging him
to arrange the police controversy ami
cably and to- reinstate the striking po-
licemen, declares that the authorities of
Boston and Massachusetts will not de-
bate or arbitrate their control over the
officers of state and city and that any
kind of union on the part of policemen
is henceforth prohibited.
The Governor said he was determined
to uphold at all costs the authority o.
the state, its constitution and its laws.
and denied Mr.. Gompers's analogy be-
tween the situation here and that in
Washington, where the policemen dId
not. leave their posts while those here
did
Governor Coolidge's Reply
Replying to your telegram, | have
already refused to remove the Police
Commissioner Of Boston. | did no. ap-
point him He can assume no position
which the courts would uphold except
what the people have, by the authority
of the law. vested in him. H speaks
only with their voice. The right o, tho
police Of Boston to affiliate has siways
been questioned, never granted ;.nd is
now prohibited.
"Thc suggestion of Presiden, wilson
to Washine<n does not apps t. Bos-
ton. There she police have y.ra;lc,, on
duty. Here the policemen's union eft
their duty, an action which Pres m.
Wilson characterized as crime ;ar.;ast
civilization. Your assertion tina :he
Police Commissioner was wrong 4annor
justify the wrong of leaving III tity
unguarded. That furnished the ,rror-
tunity; the criminal element furr ned
the action. There is no right % s,riAs
against the public safety By Anvnody.
anywhere, any time.
To View Situation Broal.V
"You ask that the public sat T. lain
be placed in the hands of these ans
policemen while they continue IN iis-
obedience to the laws of Massac,ius It's
and in their refusal to obey the orAe.s
of the Police Department. Nineteen
men have been tried and removed.
Others having abandoned THEN duty
and their places have, under the aH,
been declared vacant on the opinion OF
the Attorney General
II can suggest no authority outside
the courts 20 take further act.el T
wish to join and assist in taking d
broad view of every situation. A grave
j tI,,1 Ill
can depend on me TO support you in
every legal action and policy. am
equally determined to defend the SOW
ereignty of Massachusetts and maintain
her authority and jurisdiction over her
pubic officers where it has been placed
by the constitution and laws of her
people"
A new development in the situation
is expected tomorrow morning when
committee representing the police
mems union and the Central Federated d
Union of Boston will confer with Pc.
lice Commi missioner E. u. Curtis at Po-
lice Headquarters in an effort to per-
suade him to rescind his decision not
to reinstate the 1900 striking police.
men and to come to an agreement. that
hundreds of policemen approaching ths
pension period will not lose the advan-
tages of their records and service.
Those who will confer with the COM
missioner will be Michael J. ODonnell
president of the Central Labor Union
p. Harry Jennings, business agent OF
the same organization, and John F
Mclnnes, president of the Boston Po-
licemen's Union, and one of the nine.
teen men whose discharge from the
Police Department precipitated thu
strike. 1t is believed the issue of .
general strike in sympathy with tn.
locked-out policemen will depend upor
the outcome of to-morrow's confer
ence.
Possibility of Compromise
Observers to-day were at a loss t,
understand how Police COMMISSIONS,
! Curtis possibly can rescind his actio,
and agree to readmit the locked out no
/ llcemen to the department after the un
! eQulvocal stand he has taken-a stans
inspired by the opinion of Attorne,
General Harry Wyman that the strik
ing policemen are no longer member,
J of the Police Department. Some pro
. fessed to see the possibility of com
, promise in report from the Stat,
House to-day that Governor CooIide
, was contemplating a new step whicl
might lead to a solution other than tn,
permanent discharge of the strikin,
e policemen. No forecast Of the naturs
I Of the step was offered.
1t was intimated by men close 10 tn,
, Governor that he has received add;
3 tional confidential representation
from President Gompers, requestin,
/ him to adjust the situation In a man
l ner other than that decided upon yes
e terday by Commissioner Curtis. TIL
Governor spent part of the day at tn
e State House and later addressed
t gathering of guardsmen in Fsnuei