Evening star., 1934-07-17
BY OLE HANSON.

LOS ANGELES. July l7.--n San
Francisco wants 20 see its industries
decline and Is anxious to increase the
prestige of It's rival California city,
Ios Angeles. all it has TO do is TO
ALLOW agitators and Communists TO
run its Affairs
No general strike has a chance u
reach first base II law and order Is
maintained
A general strike began in Seattle
while / WAS mayor. II started Febru-
AIRY s. 1919, and ended in complete
defeat for the strikers in a few days
Seattle was a stanch union town
When the shipyards called many
thousands Of its itinerant workers.
including draft dodgers and a large
number Of radical foreigners the
Central Labor Council. which up TO
that time had played the game fair
ly and sQuarely. changed first 10 a
pink and then 10 a deep red.
Conspiracy Is Hatched.
The American flag was torn down
from the labor temple, revolutionary
speeches were made, anti-American
resolutions were passed. and a con-
spiracy was Matched whereby under
the guise Of the ShipyardS workers
grievances. a general strike was called
in the belief trouble would spread
and overthrow eventually our Gov
ernment
Votes OF the workers we're taken
at night. after the home owners had
gone home. and finally a general
strike was declared
AS a member OF the Boilermakers'
Union, I worked in the shipyards
from 4 pm. until II pm, after my
days work as mayor was done. I
had assisted in passing in Wash
inRton nearly every labor law on the
statute books for 20 years, but when
the general strike was called, pun
ishing 100000 people innocent Of
wrongdoing, and labor leaders printed
permission placards, stating that un-
less persons obtained such cards they
could not buy bread or even bury
their dead, 1 saw at once it was a
revolutionary attempt and nothing
else.
Sixty-five thousand men walked
out; elevators were left at the floor
when the hour struck, street cars
stopped, restaurants closed, and the
Strike Committee went into pro-
longed session which l attended
They wanted to turn off the water
and electricity and tie everything up
tight.
I told them to go to hell, that
could not settle their differences, but
that could preserve law and order
They proposed to swear in 5000 OF
their own men to take charge as po-
licemen. told them that the seat
OF government was still at the City
Hall.
Ex-Service Men Called.
I called for volunteers to man the
machine guns, which were mounted
on trucks protected by 6-foot banks
OF sandbags. EX-soldierS returned
from the war were called for this
duty and officers had orders to shoot
down any one who tried TO destroy
property or life.
Hundreds of citizens volunteered to
help maintain order after a strike
leader announced the strikers would
make it so tough that I'VE will fright
en- the people and win" Guards
chosen for their courage and loyalty
were placed about the water and light
plants.
Newspapers ceased publication in
Seattle, but the Seattle Star finally
obtained enough men. through the
help of international union leaders
who were against the strike, but with
out control to print $4,000 one-psg'
papers. The mayors proclamation
was spread over the front page, anc
we rode up and down the crowded
streets and gave the papers away.
The proclamation read: BY VIRTUE
Of the authority vested in me a!
mayor, l hereby guarantee all thu
people of Seattle absolute and com
plete protection. They should g
about their daily work and business II
perfect security We have 1900 po
lcemen, 1900 regular soldiers from
Camp Lewis, and can and will secure
If necessary, every soldier IN tn,
Northwest to protect life, business anC
property.
Bans Anarchist Rule.
The time has come for every per
son in Seattle to show his Amer
icanism. Go about your daily Wori
without fear. We viii see to it tina
YOU have food. transportation, light
water. gas and all necessities. Tit
anarchists in this community Shal
not rule its affairs. All persons vlo'
lating this law Will be dealt with sum
marily. Ole Hanson, mayor.
Our willingness TO use armed force
and protect life and property aweC
those in control OF the strike. Not (
shot had to be fred. Not 4 fist hgh
took place. There was no riotlng o
any kind or character. We opened ~
all stores, ran the street cars, anC
not a hight was turned out.
A few weeks after the genera
strike was over a city election wa!
held. l Endorsed certain candidate,
for election who had stood by me II
the strike. Every one was elected ant
our largest majority was in the unlol
labor wards
The mayor OF San Francisco snt
the Acting Governor OF California
have but one path 10 tread and tina
path leads them direc. to their sworl
oath. They are sworn to uphold tn
law and the law does not differen
tiste between strikers and Strik
breakers. employees and employers, o
between unlon-owned property o
employer-oWned property.
FnAI Ar-RFNRrR