a few seconds agoThe city that remained without police protection
Periskopi(6 years ago)
(6 years ago)The city of Boston in Massachusetts on September 9, 1919, was deliberately left without police protection, for the latter went on strike to raise wages. The police were not paid their salaries during the first year of World War I when the cost of living was raised. Boston Police Union was founded [...]
The police were not paid their salaries during the first year of World War I when the cost of living was raised. The Boston Police Union was founded in 1918 and was recognized by the American Labour Federation. When negotiations on raising salaries failed, the police union voted to strike.
On September 10th, the mayor of Boston called on the local guard to perform police duties to establish order.
The next day, State Governor Massachusetts, Calvin Coolidge, called on Boston residents to respect the law and took on other policemen to replace the strikers.
The governor's response remains today a statement often mentioned: “There is no right to strike against public order by anyone, in no country, and never at”.
Governor Coolidge's firm stand against the union drew national attention and served as a factor of importance in his choice of vice president from Warren Harding in 1920. Coolidge replaced President Harding after his death in 1923.
