The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13


Che soldiers. ~
II the police are to resume duty
pending arbitration Gov. Coolidge and
Police Commissioner Curtis will have
to reisnt In thcir attitude Of no rein
statementn. Both assert that such a
iconosssdon would be destructive of dis
-cipltns. But to-day a number, how
many was not stated, OF striking po-
ucemen asked to be permitted TO go
back to work again.
Firemen Hold a Meeting.
The Boston fire department person
mel went into session tonight That
they will vote to strike In symparthy
with the policemen is considered i'm
probable. 49,.
Tho telephone operators also went
into session. Both met to vote on the
subject of q sympathetic strike. An
informal and unofficial poll OF the fire.
men shows them to be against the
walkout. Tho telephone operators
have received an increase In pay within
the last two days. 1t is unlikely that
they will strike. The electrical work.
ers have favored a sympathetic strike,
but are now declaring that they want
the matter submitted to arbitration.
John II. McInnis, president Of the Po-
Hcemen's Union. has called his men to-
Kether and will read the Gompers tele-
gram to them.
TITS the logical step to take" was his
only comment at liz up TO the men to
decide what they want to do about It"
The union of cooks and walters has
voted to walk out, when ordered to do
SO by the Central Labor Union" But
the spirit of the strike has been broken
There Is no longer that ugly tense
feeling Of unrest.
The strike is still on--decidedly So
but it has lost its SAVIOR. Briefly, Bos-
ton has asserted herself and yanked her
self out OF the mud by her own boot
straps for the time being at least.
The prospects of a general strike have
dwindled into remoteness. The larger
unions realize that without law and or
der they cannot hope to win. They
realize that the moment a general strike
is ordered the United States Govern
ment will step in and the Regular Army
"a singular Unconditional and non-parti-
san collection of individuals-will take
over the streets of Boston.
Lights Not Likely to Go out.
And Boston will not go lightless This
Edison Company, which lights the
streets is manned by non-union and ex-
ceedingly well paid and treated men
and women This corporation furnishes
transportation and factory power for
the city. Thus business will not be
crippled.
The street car, men are grumbling,
but not positive. A demagogue might
sway them to the side of a general
strike but the indications are that they
will vote otherwise.
A straw hated and tweed clad po-
lice force ruled Boston's traffic to day
and patrolled such troublous centres as
scollay and Adams squares. The Com
mon was about free of gamblers and the
Back Bay had regained its usual ur-
bane responsibility. Boston proper went
about its business like the nice, orderly
city it has always been.
The newspapers of Boston are unani-
nous in their condemnation OF the taik
of a general strike. The Boston Tran
script goes SO far as to declare edl-
torially that "the bluff has been called.
This editorial is typical of the attitude
of the lawabiding element OF this city,
and this element predominates.
The editorial reads as follows:
Boston is a bad place for anybody
The restoration of law and order that
returned the city early last night to its
peaceful habits proves that. The cow
ardly gangsters and their cowardly
hangers on who for two days and nights
had disturbed life and brought disgrace
upon the fair name OF this historic city
were quickly cowed by the bayonets OF
the beloved Guardsmen who came from
all over the Commonwealth and as
sisted the loyal minority of the police
force and the volunteers in patrolling
the city last night.
THE bluff had been called. Law and
order had been restored. the heart of
America had responded and the city of
Boston went to sleep serene and con-
fident in the knowledge that IL the Amer
lean Federation of Labor dared to back
the deserters of the police force and call
a sympathetic strike in this city martial
law would be declared without delay
and that the army and navy OF the
United States would take over the COM
mand OF the city until such time as the
threatened rebellion against the nation
had been put down.
"will the Central Labor Union ever
have a finer chance to prove 1t is strong
enough to dare to stand for justice, law
and orderP'
Horrors of a General Strike.
The Boston Post questions the intel
ligence of those who talk general strike.
Its leading editorial says;
DO the men who are talking general
strike know what it means? Do they
realize the. nameless horrors that would
come in itS train? Cannot they sense
the disaster, not alone to property but
to the very lives of their wives and
children? Have we not had enough Of
mob violence, Of viciousness and cold
h.ooded assault and murder?
1T Is cruel and callous of any man
to even talk of bringing on SO great a
calamity as a general strike. How can
he be so blind as not to see the tragedy
of such a course? Who will suffer /?
Working men and women, children in
humble homes, school girls and boys, the
babies. the aged and the sick. the very
people who should be protected.
Can labor gain by smashing at the
very foundation of their daily existence
BIZ putting the life and property OF every
citizen in danger Surely not, and every
working man should know this full
well. r,
This is a time for cool headed re-
fection. We are all Americans together.
Let us act like Americans Each man
owes duty not alone to his family but
to the city and to his fellow men. Stop
this talk Of general strike 1t is un-
thinkablel"
Fears for This Evening.
Some apprehension is felt about to-
morrow night. Saturday night in South
Boston and In the other less elite sec
lions of the town has usually been dedi-
NAa