Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-09-18
POSSIBILITY OF GENERAL STRIKE
AWAITS Central LABOR ACTION SUNDAY
RECRUITING new FORCE CONTINUES

Boston. Sept I7.-Before leaving
fpr Washington sar1y tonight, Guy
pers of the American Federation Of
Labor. ISSUED 4 statement ~ wnich
he condemned the authorities for
working conditions IN the police de-
partment. and declared that the srr1k-
ing policemen were not 10 1iaTnt for
The disorder n the first few days of
the strike He said that the men
were being called -deseiIers" because
they had the manhood and courage
10 strike. after two weeks NORGE, for
their human rights and constitution
A. guarantees"
He asserted that the Policemen
we're assured by statements ttf the
police commissioners raaI any sitaa-
taon CAUSED by the formal protest they
adopted would be taken cale If and
,, that not one OF the men had the
fa1ntes1 ioea tnat the regreE-alie CON-
dirions caused by the commissioner
negligence could occHr."
The policemen" he sad, Were
forced 10 organize in afilia1lcn with
the American Federation Of Labor to
be heard and they were forced ID
Eanixation."
The statement follows:
w hEieVer else mas resulted from
TINS unfortunate situation III Isastun.
a condition with reference 10 the
treatment OF tine Bosrun police force
has been disclosed Of which few clti-
zens were aware and of which the
ofhciais II charge might well be
ashamed The prumptness with
which the governor has undertaken
10 see THAI al leRst some CT these
conditions be corrected is a confess
sien that state Of things existed
before the police took ac1iar that jus-
Tined the policemen IN their effort 10
improve them.
Their grievances were NAM and
almost irrolerabie-iong hours Goa
10 II hours per day. wages insult
Gent to maintain a decent standard
on living, unsanItarv staLur- houses
unsatisfactory working conditions
ana The DENIAL of rights en50peo by
practically every other police force
In Boston These facts are s.ckncwi-
edged by all even the police COM
/ missioner These conditions were NOT
hsrtereG by the Is yeHrs' Efforts of
the social Club Of the Boston Po-
hce Force
$W-har, %ha
Sinner came INTO Office one of MS
nrsr ACTS was 10 ignore the Social
Club altogether and in its mace he
IfIAugrated a system of his own for
present grievances which proved I'M
satisfactory and of no real benefit.
The men then organized and applied
for charter fsum the American
Federation of Labor IN order TO
make their vulce heard and II Was
heard all over the country. where
, the unhappy int Of the policemen is
now receiving the thoughtful cunsid
; Grafton which they never could have
Obtained except as result of the
stand taken by the red-hlooded Am
ericans Of The Boston police force
.As fine body of men as I ever
sRw-2B0 Of them ex-Sioughbors in
Uncle Sans army. and their presi-
dent. John f. Mclnnis. the proud
passessnr Of four honorable discharg-
es from the United States army and
, four wounds received while fighting
under the Start and Sfripes-are
now being called 'deserters' because
they had the manhood and courage
to strike. after two weekly notice.
fur their human rights and constitu-
, tiunal guarantees. af1er being as
sured by the statements Of the police
J cuTnmiBainner that any situation
caused by the form Of protest they
adopted could and would be fAken
care Of
u am assured that nDf une on Ls'e
men had the fzlurssr fdHA -
/ rex7,eErnhie cnndit1Dns
lcumfninziunur.s nugfzeence cou.o oe
chr. The mem were a"Ase INA
ysr,~n ,,,,rnssr OF policemen wouiu re-
nnsy nm duty and these men. ! am
tr,1a w~r-e sufficient 10 have cnnfrui-
- me situation II property utilized
unvruper II or the men did NOT
srz4Ra. hut were kicked out. and are
nuM inOiing 10 the American FEEDER
mxzun uf Lahnr fnr financial asais- |
tancs 10 drive ths wolf frum the FAM
ny dour-sfsp-
Recruit new fnrce from men
who are ready 10 subscribe 10 fnruI- |
untary aez-vitade that they can not /
fCnufsnund IN pnun a-Eni n