The Connecticut labor news., 1924-10-25

call out the volunteers until next day So Is hours went by with no police pro
 craps, and crowds began to gather for a Halloween evening, and a few store
 windows were smashed and false fire alarms turned in. Everybody in town
 turned out to see the "fun." Then un- der cover of the crowds, more windows were smashed (about 5 that night) and some stealing of shoes and clothing and hats from store windows occurred. 20 "Wednesday, September 10, few "volunteers" appeared, but not many
 Then Mayor Peters took the reins in his hands, brushing Curtis aside like fly, and called out the state guardsmen un- der an old statute which gave him the right, "tumult having occurred" With in 24 hours he had 5000 guardsmen posted about town, and order was re- stored.
 21 Then Mayor Peters began to plan law and order out of the chaos His plan was to replace the arrogant Curtis with Brigadier General Cole, former police commissioner, who had just re- turned from overseas with a fine war record. Then he was to recall the po- lice to their posts of duty, get them to give up their labor charter in return for an increase of wages, and send the guardsnen home.
 g But this didn't suit Curtis or Coo lidge. It would restore order where their plan had produced chaos It would belittle them, and crowd them out of the Hrr1elight- So Governor Coolidge stated Cole couldn't act because he was resi- dent of Brookline, a suburb miles from downtown Boston, and he himself seized the reins and crowded Mayor Peters aside He increase d the guards men to 12OOO; ordered in 10000 stands of army rifles, about 100000 rounds of bullets, 1000 naval reserves, and planned to raise 10000 additional men in the form of Volunteer. Massachusetts Militia" He wired to the War and Navy Department at Washington, D. C., that "at present the city is orderly" but that he might need more troops if a general strike" should develop, and asking them to stand in readiness to re- spond
 9 The next morning after Governor Coolidge took charge, the, newspapers carried the news of 8 KILLED and over 40 SERIOUSLY WOUNDED. It was the logical result of having troops ordered to SHOOT TO KILL IF NECESSARY" Not one of those killed or wounded was charged with rioting or melting to riot, with having broken win dows or stolen goods, on with having resisted an officer in the real sense of that phrase. A careful reading of the newspapers shows this.
 The street disorders lasted only day or two longer. But Governor Coolidge kept his heavily armed troops on duty for 100 days, until after his reelection had been assured.
 The total number of killed was f2 The seriously wounded totaled over 100, since many were taken to their homes instead of to public hospitals.
 24 Governor Coolidge in public speeches thereafter spoke of having saved the commonwealth from anarchy and bolsheyism," yet there was not single case of anarchistic literature hay ing been distributed or a bolshevistic address having been made during the disorders The striking policemen made no trouble or demonstrations.
 5 London, England, had much more serious police strike in August, 1919, wi, en 2,oOOO policemen walked out because the Government had just given them a generous increase in pay, but it would not recognize their union; neither did 1t discharge men for joining the union The hoodlumism and win dow-sma shing and thieving was much worse in London. The property damage brought into court BUT NO ONE WAS KILLED AND NO ONE WAS BY THE MILITARY FORCES THAT WERE CALLED IN TO MAINTAIN LAW AND ORDER.