Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-07
The "Cossack Police"

the end desired by the majority OF the
real Communist agitators who planned
the demonstrations in American cities
yesterday, swelling their ranks by re-
cruits from the disconnected and the
unemployed, ready and willing to march
under any mans banner.
And wherever a policeman so much
as raised his hand in warning, that
action will be interpreted, in the fevered
minds of the agitators, as symbolic of
ruthless tyranny. So much the better,
in the eyes of the agitators, when police
used their blackjscks, threw tear gas
bombs or seized rioting men and women
and marched them off to Jail.
The experience of American cities
yesterday in handling the demonstra-
tions affords an interesting lesson iii
contrast. There were near riots and
bruised heads in Washington, New
York, Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, Seat
tie and other cities. In Baltimore.
Chicago, Charlotte, N. c.; Oakland, San
Francisco, Houston and st. Louis there
were peaceful demonstrations, with pc E.
lice on the alert, but protecting the
marchers.
In San Francisco the march of the
demonstrators was sanctioned by the
police and the chief of police met the
leaders en- route to the city hall, Joined
them in their procession, shook hands
with them, posed for photographers and
then left them to proceed alone Ar
irving at the city hall, they we're greet
ed by the mayor. who made them a
speech from a hag-draped stand erect
ed for the purpose, heard their COM
plants and outlined the steps being
taken by the city council to lessen the
hardships from unemployment. In
Baltimore the demonstrators were per-
mitted to march, the police protecting
them along the line of the parade.
The city laughed of its demonstration
and naturally it missed fire. Hearing
Of plans for a parade, the police de-
partment Immediately furnished a
leader" and gave him a permit. Hear
ing that the Communists would march
on city hall, the mayor Immediately
made ready to welcome the protest
ants. The real agitators, beaten at
their own game and unable to find
any opposition, gave up in disgust
In New York the demonstrators were
permitted to assemble and speak to
their hearts content. Police Commissioner
Whalen offered the leaders the use of
his car and his personal escort for a
conference with the mayor. But in
Union Square they looked for a fight
and found it. Instead of accept
ing the offer to call peaceably on
the mayor, they rushed Gordon of po-
lice and tried to storm the city hall.
That touched of the fuse and New
York worked all afternoon suppressing
the worst riot in the city's recent his
tory.
In Washington the small band of
demonstrators were permitted, under
police protection, to parade in front of
the White House, and they were warned
not to speak. But when one of them
climbed the fence and tried to speak
the trouble started. In about Ave min
utes 1t was over, with scars of battle
borne by agitators, police and innocent
bystanders and with the fumes of tear
gas bomb floating away on the breeze.
In Boston, Detroit, Cleveland and
q
and nightsticks used, trouble was precip-
itated when the demonstrators crossed
the dividing line between order and dis
order. AS long as they marched in peace
they were undisturbed. When they de-
iberately sought a fight they got it.
American police yesterday were not
fighting communism, atheism, or the
demonstrations of the unemployed.
They were fighting disorder and sup
pressing, where 1t showed itself, the
spirit that may move mob to crazed
extremes. Baltimore was lucky and
San Francisco was lucky. But they
would have been no more fortunate
than other cities had the leaders, in
sistent upon violence, tried to take the
city hall by storm or mobbed the mayor
as he stood upon his rostrum.
There must be tolerance in handling
these demonstrations, but tolerance as
we'll as intolerance may be carried to
dangerous extremes 1t is tolerant to
allow a youngster to place a dynamite
cap on the street car track and laugh
with him as the car is jolted. But it
is wiser to remove him and the dyna-
mite cap before the explosion.
The parading Communists should be
given the privilege, held by other Ameri-
cans of peaceably assembling and talk
ing their heads off. 1t is only when
they seek, with their fists, the privi-
leges denied these other Americans
that the "Cossack police must step in
with their tear gas bombs and their
blackjacks. When the police step in
under these circumstances, the Com
munists become martyrs in their own
eyes. In the eyes Of others they re-
main stubborn and unruly disturbers of
the peace.
--S-~SS~-A------------