Evening star., 1946-05-25
A TELEGRAM.

Boston, Mass, Sept II, 1919.
Mr.. Samuel Gompers,
President, American Federation Of Labor,
New York City, N. Y.
Replying to your telegram, I have al
ready refused to remove the Police Com
missioner of Boston. I did not appoint
him. He can assume no position which
the courts would uphold except what the
people have by the authority of their
law vested in him. He speaks only with
their voice. The right of the police Of
Boston to affiliate has always been ques-
toned, never granted, is now prohibited.
The suggestion of President Wilson to
Washington does not apply to Boston.
There the police have remained on duty.
duty, an action which President Wilson
characterized as crime against civili-
zation. Your assertion that the Com
missioner was wrong cannot justify the
wrong of leaving the city unguarded.
That furnished the opportunity, the
criminal element furnished the action.
There is no right to strike against the
public safety by anybody, anywhere,
any time. You ask that the public safety
again be placed in the hands of these
same policemen while they continue in
disobedience to the laws of Massachu-
setts and in their refusal to obey the
orders of the Police Department. Nine
teen men have been tried and removed.
Others having abandoned their duty,
their places have, under the law, been
declared vacant on the opinion of the
Attorney General. can suggest no au-
thority outside the courts to take further
action. I wish to join and assist in TAX
ing broad view of every situation. A
grave responsibility rests on all of us.
You can depend on me to support you
in every legal action and sound policy.
l am equally determined to defend the
sovereignty of Massachusetts, and to
maintain the authority and jurisdiction
over her public officers where it has been
placed by the constitution and law of
: her people. CALVIN COOLIDGE,
Governor of Massachusetts.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
BY His Excellency Calvin Coolidge, Gov
ernor.
A PROCLAMATION.
There appears to be a mlsapprehen-
sion as to the position of the police OF
Boston. In the deliberate intention to
intimidate and coerce the government
of this Commonwealth a large body OF
policemen, urging all others to join them.
deserted their posts of duty, letting in
the enemy. This act of theirs was VOL
untary, against the advice of their WE'LL
wishers, long discussed and premedi-
tated, and with the purpose of obStruct-
ing the power of the government to
protect its citizens or even to maintain
it's own existence. Its success meant
Grafton of the law they dispossessed
themselves. They went out of Office.
They stand as though they had never
been appointed.
Other police remained on duty. They
are the real heroes of this crisis. The
State Guard responded most efficiently.
Thousands have volunteered for the
Guard and the Militia. Money has been
contributed from every walk of life by
the hundreds of thousands for the en-
couragement and relief of these loyal
men. These acts have been spontaneous,
significant and decisive. I propose to
support all those who are supporting
their own government with every power
which the people have entrusted to me.
There is an obligation, inescapable.
no less solemn. to resist all those who
do not support the government. The
authority of the Commonwealth cannot
be intimidated or coerced. 1t cannot be
comp1 omised. To place the mainte-
nance Of the public security in the hands
of body of men who have attempted
to destroy it would be to flout the SOW
ereignty of the laws the people have
made. 1t is my duty to resist any such
proposal. Those who would counsel 1t
threatened to destroy the government.
There is no middle ground. Every at
tempt to prevent the formation of new
police force is a blow at the govern
ment. That way treason lies. No man
has right to place his own ease or con-
venience or the opportunity of making
money above his duty to the State.
This is the cause of alf the people.
I call on every citizen to stand by me
in executing the oath of my Office by
supporting the authority of the govern
ment and resisting all assaults upon it.
tGiven at the Executive Chamber,
in Boston, this twenty fourth day Of
September, in the year of our Lord
1919, and of the independence, etc.
CALVIN COOLIDGE,
limited cfnfes of Furono