Cornell logo and name Cornell University Cornell University ILR School
Woman sewing in a garment shop

The Kheel Center ILGWU Collection

Div shadow

Archive Transcript: Letters

Letter from Miles Dawson to Strikers, 1910

Not to be published, use this confidentially

QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED OF STRIKERS IN REGARD TO THE CONDUCT OF THE POLICE.

  1. Did you ask the policeman to arrest anyone?
  2. Did you hear any striker ask the policeman to arrest anyone?
  3. Did anyone call you names in the presence of policeman?
  4. Did anyone assault or hit you without good cause, while a policeman was present?
  5. Were you arrested for any misdemeanor that the policeman did not see?
  6. Did you see anyone arrested for any misdemeanor that the policeman did not see?
  7. Did anyone point you out to a policeman for arrest? What was the charge?
  8. Did you see anyone pointed out to a policeman, for arrest? What was the charge?
  9. Were you arrested for saying "scab" or "strike-breaker" when no disorder took place?
  10. Did you see anyone arrested for saying "scab" or "striker-breaker" when no disorder took place?
  11. Did you hear any policeman call you names or call anyone else names?
  12. Did any policeman strike you or push you without good cause?
  13. Did you see any policeman making trouble instead of trying to prevent trouble?
  14. Did you see or did anyone tell you of any policeman receiving drinks, cigars, waists or packages from shops?
  15. Did you see any policeman taking the part of the bosses against the strikers in such a way that we could make a good case against them?
  16. Who are your witnesses, if you have any
  17. Give further particulars

January 4th, 1910.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Information is desired by counsel for the Striking Waist Makers in regard to cases in which the police should be complained of for their conduct during the strike.

In the first place we desire to get a list of, and to investigate those areas in which any policeman [sic] have been requested to make an arrest by or on behalf of the strikers, but has refused to do so.

We also wish to make a list and investigation of those cases in which the offences were committed against strikers or pickets or sympathizers in the presence of the police and where the police should have arrested the offender or offenders even though no request was made that they be arrested. For instance, bosses and special officers, strikebreakers and thugs have called strikers names which were just as bad or worse than the word "scab". In such cases counsel should know the name of the offenders, especially where arrests were made of strikers for using the word "scab". Counsel should also know the number of the police officer so present.

There have also been cases where the pickets or strikers have been assaulted, pushed or struck and yet did not dare to make complaints against the special officers, thugs and strike-breakers who were guilty of such assaults.

We ought to have such an investigation of the conduct of those police as would enable us to get a list of these assaults etc., especially where a policeman was present and did not make an arrest.

There is still another class of cases in which the police have not acted properly. To explain: The strikers should understand that the police have no right to arrest them for disorderly conduct or for any misdemeanor unless the policeman were actually present at the time the misdemeanor was committed.

In a number of cases the policeman did not see the misdemeanor at all, he was called into the case and made an arrest without seeing the misdemeanor; the policemen have no business to maken an arrest in such cases. Where they did not see the misdemeanor committed, they have no right to arrest the alleged offender except when they first get a warrant from a magistrate.

This should be explained to the strikers, so that counsel can make a full report on every case of this kind. There is still another class of cases in which the police should not have made arrests: that is, where the disorderly conduct, such as calling a girl "scab", did not tend to a breach of the peace; any more than any other trifling altercation in the streets would; in many cases calling the word "scab" did not tend in any way to a breach of the peace; no notice was taken of it and there were three or four persons in the streets at most, to hear it. We would like a list of these cases so we may investigate them.

There is still another class of cases in which a policeman called the strikers by opprobrious names and even assaulted the strikers and handled them roughly without cause or provocation. Counsel are specially anxious to investigate these cases.

There are still other instances in which the police have acted with evident partiality toward the bosses and have stirred up trouble instead of trying to prevent it. They are also said to have been receiving presents of waists and drinks and the like from the bosses' agents.

It is absolutely necessary to run these reports or rumors down and to get clear written evidence of the same. The chairman or chairwoman of each meeting place and those in charge of the strike at different shops should collect this information as speedily as possible and bring same at once to the office of Simon Alperin, No. 239 Broome Street.

Miles M. Dawson
Chief Counsel for Ladies' Waist Makers Union.