The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-14
backing the Commissioner to his on

backing the Commissioner to his OIL
cial limit.
The policemen want to go back to
work They went to the Governor to.
day Offering 10 resume their posts and
beats under the terms set forth by
Mr.. 0ompers's telegram TO Commissioner
Curtis. They suggested that the police
mems union and its A. r. OF l.. charter
could remain In statu quo until after
October s, when everything might be
thrashed out In Washington during the
conference between capital and labor
Meanwhile, they said, they'd go back 10
work as individuals.
To out IL fatty, the Commissioner
said In effect they'd do nothing OF the
kind that they wouldn't go back TO
work at all that there was nothing Tor
them to 20 back to, and that II any or
all of them saw an unoccupied job that
looked good to them they'd better grap
II II they wanted to eat. In other
words the striking policemen are pain
fully through 30 far as the Commits
sioner is concerned.
Curtis Issues Ultimatum.
OF course Commissioner Curtis did
not use those words, but in nice Boston
English he put himself on record as
follows:
at is manifest that the places in the
police force formerly held by men VINO
deserted their posts of duty have by this
action been rendered vacant l am ad-
vised by the Attorney-G General that upon
existing facts the offices formerly held
by the members Of the police force, 10
whom / have referred, are in fact and In
law, vacant
~ shall accordingly proceed in accord
ance v ith law and in strict compliance
W III the requirene Its Of the civil SER
vice law to fill thess vacancies with new
men. 1 have submitted to the Mayor OF
Boston recommendations for immediate
adoption relating to revision OF sal
aries for the lowest paid members OF
the police force, and ] shall later sub
init recommendations for n revision OF
the entire salary list
81 have further requested the Civil
Service Commission to grant the au-
thority to appoint to the police force
any veterans who are defined by chap
ter $50 of the General Acts Of 1919,
whether such veterans bo residents OF
Boston or not.
"The Attorney General has ruled that
such veterans must be residents Of the
Commonwealth, but need not be resi-
dents of the city Of Boston"
II was that statement, communicated
to Mr.. Gompers. that drew his terse
hand grenade
SO no matter how one looks at the
situation, nor where ones sympathies
lie, the fact remains that the next step
is up to the A. +. Of L. II a general
strike IL the result Boston waits II ;
awaits It with considerable trepidation
and apprehension. to be sure. cut Is
standing up, feet planted well apart.
ready for the fray.
Bring on your general strike, says on
cial Boston. Boston's and MASSACHUSETTS,
rulers have thrown down the gauntlet.
Governor Issues Statement.
Gov. Coolidge. a Republican, and q
candidate for reelection in November, is
sued this statement:
AT a conference with labor leaders,
held at their request, details were pre-
eented to me under which shall be
guided by the opinion of the Attorney
General.
81 understand the matter of the tele-
gram has been conveyed to Mr.. Curtis
Whether he has made any decision on
1t yet, / did not know. / undertook to
transmit their request for a conference
between President o'Donnell. Organizer
Mccarthy and President McInnes to the
Commissioner of Police"
Then the Governor teIegrapaed Sam
uel Gompers as follows:
Under the law. the suggestions con-
tained in your telegram are not within
the authority of the Governor of Massa-
chusetts, but only of the Commissioner
of Police of the city of Boston.
with the maintenance of discipline In
his department 1 have no authority to
interfere. He has decided that the men
have abandoned their sworn duty and
has accordingly declared their places
vacant. / shall support the Commits
sloner in the execution Of law and main
tenance of order"
Commissioner Curtis not only refused
10 treat with the labor men but caused
this proclamation to be issued to all po-
lice captains:
None of the patrolmen who failed to
report for duty September 9. 1919. or
since that time, may return to duty UNI
der any circumstances nor are they to
be allowed TO remain or loiter on the
premises of the different station houses
when officers report back from vaca-
tons or sickness the division commander
will communicate at once In each In
stance with the superintendent for in
structions
you are also instructed that no open
ANY NhiNhidtcu ~
draw a crowd are to be permitted until
further orders"
President Wilson might appeal to the
Massachusetts, authorities to rescind
their apparently adamant dictum and he
might. by personal appeal, fetch about
a break in the deadlock-call II a lock-
out II you will-but that's only a matter
of conjecture
Folks down this way have a rather
ingrown- conviction that they have and
can run their own affairs themselves
It's not easy to bend the Puritan will
A Yankee Is not prone to 'vaoiliation
The strike has precipitated a tweedIe.
dee and tweedledum conditions of af.
fairs. ~
The people of Massachusetts, go to the
polls in November to elect a full State
government from Governor down. The
primaries take place September 23.
The balloting Is looked forward t.
with calm serenity, for there will bt
Ruuad Of snidiarS avary nolIinu