The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-04-17
FOR
PASSAIC STOPPED
BY R. |. POLIO {
Strike Fund Collection
Before Mills
ey a Worker Correspondent

PROVIDENCE, X. j., April 15.-SIX
members Of the Passaie relief COM
mittee were held by the Providence
police this morning for an attempt to
collect money and distribute strike
bulletins at the gates Of the Wanshuck
mills, owned by United States Senator
Jesse Metealf of Rhode Island.
'You cannot collect money or dis
tribute that paper here" said plain
clothed thug as he showed his police
badge. In answer to question by
one of the workers he replied that
the company (Metcalf) owned the land
and street for ten miles on either side
Of the works.
Cops Arrive.
The committee went outside the
rail which bounds the factory and
there tried to do their work. Imme-
diately police patrol wagon with six
stalwart minions of the law were on
the scene. The sergeant asked for a
copy of the paper, 1t was given him.
When asked whether it was alright
to proceed with the distribution the
sergeant ordered the questioner to get
off the sidewalk.
This is newspaper" the SER
geant said to the plain clothes man.
1--WE cannot take. them for giving this
away" Again he ordered Murdoch to
get off the sidewalk, where he was
listening in on the conversation and
pushing for decision as to whether
it was within the law to distribute a
newspaper Get to hell out of here"
he roared. The committee refused to
bulge until he said whether they were
violating any law of the state.
Mil Workers Sympathize.
Meanwhile the mill workers came
out and a sympathetic crowd of tex
tile workers gathered to see what
would happen. Despite the presence
of the police and without being solic-
tied these workers contributed 1885
to the strike fund. Back came the
bold sergeant, quite hot under the col
lar and roared to the workers: Get
to hell out of here or l will have you
arrested for obstructing the sidewalk"
and. turning to the collectors: You
get into this car and see what the
captain has to say" So the collectors
rode in Packard car to interview the
big chief.
Before Cap.
''Why did you come down here?
Who sent you into Providence to cause
trouble?" the captain asked Murdoch,
the first to be questioned. did Reid
tell you you could do this? What
right have you to help this striker"
When it was explained that there was
a committee at work in Boston on
which he, as member of the machin-
lists union, served and that all the
sincere unions in the city were help
ing the strike the captain changed his
tone. "But you attack our govern
ment, the president and the police" he
wept, pointing to the bulletin which
lay on his desk. president Coolidge
should use his position to order an
investigation of the textile industry,
and the Passaic police have no right
to club working women and children
for walking on the Streets" was the
reply.
prosperity"
There is prosperity in the textile
industry and this is due to the exist
ence of a republican administration
and the leadership of President Coo
lidge," said the captain. Does $40
week spell prosperity to your" he was
asked. He asked again: "Why don't
you go back to Scotland if you are
not satisfied with this country"
Scotland is just as bad as America"
was the reply. The workers are or
ganizing all over the world to change
their conditions.
Try to Connect Reid.
During the questioning they tried
to connect Reid with the distribution
of the bulletins at the mill gates. This
is an attempt to frame him as melting
others to violate the state law. Reid
was the workers candidate who ran
against Metcalf for United States SEN
ate in 1924. Metcalf introduced the
two-loom system in his mills in 1898
and locked out his workers for 10
weeks, only taking half of them back
at the end of that period. Reid as
schoolboy collected money for the
locked-out workers.
Today Metcalf tries to frame him
because he is the workers leader in
Rhode Island against the wage cuts
and lengthening of hours. The work
ers of Rhode Island should remember
this incident at the next elections.
70 kuAnNrn Observation-Disclosures c,