The sun., 1919-09-16

setting forth the police unions side Of
the controversy:
! Concerning the matter Of controversy
| between the Police Commissioner and
I the Policemen's Union we wish TO state
I the policemen Of Boston, who are among
the lowest paid workers in the city, the
longest worked In hours per day, desired
for their economic Improvement to form
union TO be affiliated with the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor.
/ The same had been done by employees
in the fire department, water depart
mont, treasury department and a score
OF other departments. the employees in
which had their unions affiliated with
the American Federation Of Labor for
years past and are now In existence ana
are and have been working harmoniously
\ with the heads Of all their departments.
The Boston policemen simply wish
for the same liberty of action In promot-
Ing their economic interests (upon which
the living Of themselves and their fam
ilies depends) as is enjoyed by all other
employees of the city Of Boston and the
| state of Massachusetts,.
They formed a union affiliated with
the American Federation of Labor and
when they formed their union their &C.
ton was not In violation of any law
applied to the Police Department or Of
any rules In the department, and the
rule which the Police Commissioner
charges the policemen with having yio-
lated was not established or promui-
gated by him until thirteen days after
applioation for charter for the Ameri-
can Federation OF Labor had been made
py s7o or the policemen in the depart
ment, nineteen of whom the Commits
oA1 Aa.
charged from the department for viola
ton OF a rule that did not exist at the
time they committed the act COM
planned Of
Answer Curtis's Contention.
The commissioner gives as his reason
TOT ob1ecting to the policemen Joining
the American Federation of Labor the
fear that such action would bring about
strikes of the policemen and involve
them In sympathetic strikes, notwith-
standing the fact that the policemens
union Is entirely outside the influence of
any other union and that no officer in
the A. F. of L., from President Com
pers down, could or would direct the
pohcemen's union to take any action OF
any kind.
Tn proof of which we gave to Gov.
Coolidge and Mr.. Storrow of Mayor
Peters's citizens committee copies of the
constitution of the A. F. of L. and
manual OF the organization, which con-
tains the obligations taken by the police
upon Joining the American Federation,
so that the Governor and chairman
or the citizens committee could see for
themselves that there was nothing in
either the law or the obligation of the
A. f. of L. that in the slightest degree
would conflict or interfere with the DO
Iicemen diligently and faithfully per-
forming the duties of their positions
we furthermore called to the atten-
ton of the officials that Notwithstanding
the great number of A. F. of l.. unions
made up of Government employees in
Massachusetts,, not one OF them has ever
engaged in a strike. We further call
their attention to the fact that there
would never be occasion for a strike
OF the Boston policemen's union, as the
union was DESTROYS of having such an
agreement with the department as would
provide for the reference of all matters
Of economic conditions upon which the
commissioner and the union could not
agree to board of arbitration mutually |
agreed upon. A decision of such board |
was to be accepted as final, thereby en- |
tirely eliminating any possibility of |
strike or stoppage Of work for any cause |
whatsoever.
appeal to Reason" Rebuned.
The policemen's appeal TO reason for
fairness OF treatment and application OF
American principles to their conditions
OF employment was met by suspension
and final discharge of their representa-
tves from employment for no other rea-
son than that the policemen made an
enort to pursue the same course as is
being pursued by all the workers OF our
nation In their rightful and lawful de- |
sire TO bring themselves and their de- |
pendents, as a result Of their labor. such |
return as will permit them properly to |
maintain themselves, their wives and
their children in accordance with Ameri-
can standards. for which humane and
Christian ambition they have been met
with treatment that would have
brought delight to Russian autocracy in |
the palmiest days of the Cars. |
The policemen are struggling for
right, Justice and Americanism in their |
employment, and shall so continue until |
victory perches upon their banner.
organized labor of Boston resents In |
the strongest possible manner the efforts |
or newspapers and public officials TO
shield the Police Commissioner from re- |
sponsibility for the disgraceful outbreak
OF lawlessness and loss of life, injury 10 |
-erty which occurred in our city last
Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and
their attempts to place the blame on the |
Po!icemen's Union.
The police union had announced three
weeks previous to its ceasing work that
II any of its members were penaIizad !
simply for holding membership in the |
Policemen's Union the union would i'm
mediately stop work.
The Police Commissioner knew that |
fact. as did every man, woman and child
In the community. The Commissioners
only answer was:
am going to adhere to the plans
outlined by me, and am fully pre-
pared to cope with any situation that
may arise
All Blame Laid to Curtis.
Yet in spite of urgent appeals from
municipal and governmental authorities
and others to defer any drastic action |
contemplated by him In order to get
further time for conferences and dis
cussion In an effort peacefully and ami