New-York tribune., 1919-09-28
Troopers Must Be Rapid and Rough;
Strike Crowds Soon Become Mobs
Unionists Bitterly Complain,
but Authorities Assert
They Are Mcrciful in Nip
ping Trouble in the Bud
Special Correspondence

PITTSBURGH. Sept. 26.-Are the
state police too rough, Do they "beat
up" citizens? Are they the Cossacks
Of America? Do they prevent legiti-
mate meetings?
To all these questions the strikers
most positively answer yes"
The answer is not to be given in a
word or sentence. The country of
coal and iron and steel is rough
country. The men who work in iron
and steel arc OF thrty-hve nationali-
ties and Of about as many different
standards of conduct. Many Of them
came from the @ d World regions in
which the police were generally hated
as the representatives, Of some sort of
4 government imposed from the out
side that was not to their liking
BY contrast, coming to America was
getting away from the police. When
III critical times like these they find
that there are rigid laws here for the
maintenance Of the public peace and
a police force that can on occasion
be as percmptory as the police they
know in the old countries, they are
not we'll p eased. America is not
America 10 them any more when they
are rudeiy invited to keep moving.
Guardians of Countryside
In ordinary times the state police
arc the guardians OF the countryside.
known and liked everywhere. helpful
81 ali emergencies and inspiring rural
reglons with sense OF security that
vas no. formerly known
But when they are modified it
means they are called upon to deal
with situations that are beyond the
pcwer Of the local police to control
They cease then TO be kindly and
friendly individuals and become units
IN law and order machine Like SOL
diers they have their orders, aAd their
business is 10 obey them.
Their orders now are to prevent
outdoor meetings for any purpose and
to dispense all street gatherings that
might grow into mobs. In carrying
out these orders they are not polite
1t is not pleasant to anyone to be
told to move on and be assisted with &
push from o horses shoulder or a
punch With ub In these Congested
steel towns q small knot Of bystanders
on street corner can become a mob OF
hundreds wth amazing rapidity When
m0h once forms It breeds Il sort Of
mas courage In its members and a
situation that could be handled with
out violence becomes one full of mob
dynamite he police have to take
time by the forelock
Must BE Rapid and Rough
II nevertheless mob does collect it
is usual y case Of two or three men
against hundreds; then. as the police
see it after much experience, quick
rapid AID rcueh action is the oniy
course. The mob mas had fair'uotice,
and tho police DO not wait for them
\ |. .i.-
under such conditions they charge into
the crowd and use their clubs without
mercy On a.l who lcitcr. Usually the
units q The mob get away too fast Tor
anybody e be hurt, except as they
fall over each other i'm their haste
Special offenders or leaG rs are sin
g'ed out by the troopers Aud placed
under arrest at any cost The inhex
ihle go ice rule is TO arrest any man
they start after. in doing 50 they do
not hesitate to ride theig horses on to
thc sidewalks and even INTO stores.
They 4 Hof resort TO their rcvolver~
or thor rifles unless attacked with
some knd # weapons. and they rarely
fre untl fred upon. aud hen not
blind y. bat ~ the men with guns. In
these ways they have established
reputation of invincisiiity which
serves serves them we'll.
Local Police Admire Them
In landhug the present situation,
chey have the confidence and admira-
ton of TIE local police who are not in
the least Jealous OF 'hom The local
oaicars wou q handle tie crowds Just
a. the mounted men do, believing that
il is 81 morcifu' and l,fc-saving way in
tie long run, but, as one Of them put
it:
'This IS our home. We have to live
here. We cannot take the firm and
roueh course of the state police. They
Dc It right"
The is no doubt that the state po-
lice prevent open air meetings. In do
ing SO they are only enforcing the
law IN time Of Disturbances 1t is
equally true that without them the
mecr'rs-s would be held Ira defiance Of
the local police It is also an unde-
niablc lact that the cause of the strik-
ers suffers from the inability to hold
outdoor meetings. In the small hall
meetings it is Impossible 20 get large
numbers together, and the strikers
have no opportunity to be braced up by
the enthusiasm tina, large crowds en-
gender IN response to stirring speeches.
1t thus becomes ticult for the indiVid-
ual ker TO keep IN touch with his
fol'ow5 and with his leaders.