The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-03-08

his young playmate, ran around
for a few seconds and then
leaped toward the boy in an
attempt to pull him from the
fence. Both were dead when
the boys parents reached the
| scene.
courage them from trying to carry
the mails and operate trains.
Bridges were dynamited and
burned thousands Of airhose connec-
lions were cut. RoundhousaE were
dynamited, spikes were pulled from
rails, causing wrecks; rocks and
other missiles were thrown into pas
senger trains and at workmen; Of
ficials, guards, and even deputy
marshals of the United States were
attacked, beaten, and shot.
"These reports clearly show a
| state Of industrial warfare in which
mob violence, shootings, murder,
| and those acts which we associate
with the French revolution were
practiced. With a few commend
able exceptions, the local and State
authorities failed to enforce the law.
In some cases the police actually
aided the strikers.
Various explanations are given
as to the reason for the failure Of
many Of the State and local au-
thorities to enforce the law. Wheth.
er it was cowardice and fear or po-
litical power of the strikers, or
sympathy with them, the tragic fact
remains that local enforcement was
generally Of such a character that
there was no restraint on anarchy
and bloodshedI
Why Press was Muzzled.
Regarding the so-called free
speech and free press which you
1.-THE Attorney GeneraD were &C.
cused Of destroying, these reports
disclose that whenever the strikers
held meetings inflammatory speeches
were made and circulars distributed,
| and that thereafter there was an
immediate outbreak Of lawlessness
and violence amounting in many
cases to acts Of almost animal fe.
rocity."
The report contains letters from
| Hubert Work, then Postmaster Gen.
eral, showing that from the begin.
ming Of the strike, July / to August
20. 1,149 trains had ben discon-
| tinued. On that date $50 were not
operating, 373 having been railway
postoffice trains and So closed pouch
mail trains. The Postmaster Gen
eral detailed the failure Of mail
trains to operate, saying that 82,912
miles OF track was involved.
Letters from the Interstate Com
merce Commission and Secretary OF
Agriculture Wallace describing in.
reference with transportation and
food movements were contained in
Daugherty's report.
Cost $4,000, 900.
| An elaborate summary Of evidence
offered by the Government in the
rail injunction case said that the
total cost of the shopmen's strike
amounted to $96,501 1876" This, it
was pointed out, was only the cost
paid out and does not include prop.
erty damage, loss of business, nor
claims for damages" The strike.
It was stated, cost the Government
$1,922 ,6S9. Over 276.00O shopmen
were involved, according to the re.
port: Freight, mail and passenger
1 service was said to have been de.
iayed practically SO per cent, while
the general effect Of the strike was
characterized as "a general break.
down and deterioration Of motive
! power"
Among the crimes attributed IN
the strike, according. to the renort
were nineteen deaths, due to vic.
lence and assault by strikers". soO
| instances Of assault, sixty-five cases
OF kidnapping, eight cases Of tarring
and feathering Of new employees by
| strikers, fifty cases of burning and
dynamiting OF railroad bridges. or
attempts at such; approximately $50
cases or attempts at burning or
dynamiting railroad, or railroad EN-.
ployes' property.
| Considerable correspondence he.
tween Daugherty and Oscar J, Horn.
| attorney for the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers, and Thomas
stevenson, attorney for the firemen
ana enginemen, was reprinted. The
unions were demanding action by
the government to require railroads
TO abide by safety statutes. They
pointed out the serious condition OF
rolling stock and expressed the
opinion that action to restrain fur.
| ther violations Of the safety statutes
would result In improved Conditions
The Attorney General responded that
his office ''is urging United States
attorneys to prosecute vigorously
acts"
An appeal to President Harding
from the brotherhood chiefs, head
ed by Warren s. Stone. declarInR
| that the town of Harrison. Ark ;
Is under mob law and that men
ana women are being shamefully
treated" was made. The brother.
hood heads understood that the
state was doing nothing to stop
these depredations."
Lacked Jurisdiction.
Z. A: Mcdonald, secretary of the
Federated Shop Crafts of the Mis-.
souri, Pacific System Federation
no. 2, wrote the Attorney General
that 1T has come to our attention
kthat a mob of 1000 persons wa g
organized presumably BY the man.
agement of the M. & ". A. Rail.
road" This mob, it was decla~ed.
forced citizens of Harrison to
leave their homes. MANY other
complaints, some to members of
congress, were made public rela.
tive to the Harrison situation.
department. of justice officials
repiied to these letters that the
violations complained of were
crimes not under Federal iurisdic.
ton. In response to an innT,irv
from Samuel Gompers, president
OF the American Federation IF
Labor, John w. H. Grim. assistant
attorney General, replied that the
so-called Harrison mobs were "es.
sentially matter under the nol;co
power of the State"