The Connecticut labor news., 1921-04-22
STATE DISCHARGED
 BY ARMED GUARDS
 AT THOMPSONVILLE
Carpet Workers Cossacks Attack Italians Honoring Ambassador on Fake Riot Call From Mill
(SDtCial to The Labor News. ]

Especial to The Labor News)
 Thompsonville, April 22.-One of the most disgraCefu scenes ever enacted in Connecticut, and one which shows clear ly the attitude of armed guards en- ploycd by the manufacturers interests to put down labor, took place here Monday when the guards in the carpet mills on strike here, were rushed out in response to a fake riot call" and attacked hun dreds of Italian born residents who had gathered on the streets to pay honor to their distinguished fellow countryman, Ambassador Rolandi RiCci who was pay ing the town an official visit: The guards, without seeking explanation, rushed the crowd of joyous Italians, clubbed and broke them up until finally they were made to understand that instead of a riot a celebration was on hand and that the Celebrators should be let alone. Then they slunk back to their barracks III the mills but the whole state was aroused by their action.
 Many of the strikers i'll the mills are Italians but so far no trouble of any kind had occurred. They company an- nounCed it's intent of re-Opening the mill Monday employing what outside help 1t could get, and anticipating trouble had County Sheriff Gabb impress 70 super numcrary policemen from cities about the county and put them, armed, on guard at the factory. They arrived Sun day but were i'll no wise interfered with. On Monday afternoon when the a1nbas- sador was being driven through the streets, hundreds of the strikers as well as others gathered to do him honor.
 Along with their nature, they were a cheering, jubilant crowd and perfectly content to forget the strike and all other troubles until someone probably hoping to start something the strikers would fin ish, sent in a fake riot call. lnnned1- ately the armed guards poured from the shops, many blocks away, and rushed the crowd of celebrators With drawn re- volvers they attacked them and were do- ing much damage to heads when stop ped. Naturally Ambassador Ricci and the crowd were indignant and the am bassador has demanded an investigation through the Italian consul at Hartford and the runpus may become a national question.
 The investigation so far into the riot call had asCertained that 1t came from the office of the Bigelow-Hartford Car pet Co. where the strike IS on. When this became known the leaders in the strike had much difficulty in keeping the strikers quiet, the maj ,rlty believing that the call was a pure attempt to start trouble and cause i'll feeling against the strikers
 The efforts of the carpet company to eject strikers from the houses they occupy and owned by the company, fail ed early in the week when the tenants were represented by Representative John Sisisky and aftr a lengthy hearing be- fore the police court a verdict was ren- dered for the strikers. Several of them testified that they had rendered payment of the rent due but that 1t had been refused and the court took the view that the company was trying to en- barrass the workers and refused to be party to it.
 The company which owns the building in which the meetings of Court Cavour, Foresters of America, are held Wednes- day served notice on the organization to vacate the premises The members of the organization are ali Italian and are strike leaders in the mill, 1t is said. The society will contest the order of eviction