‘Police Start Violence in Akron Strike’ from the Industrial Worker. Vol. 4 No. 52. March 20, 1913.

On March 7, after three weeks of absolutely peaceable methods, on the part of the strikers, violence occurred in the great rubber workers; strike at Akron, Ohio. As usual the police and deputies are the cause of the whole affair. One striker is dying in the hospital and eight others are in jail because of riots on Friday evening and Saturday noon in front of the Goodrich plant.

A squad of police and deputies charged the peaceful pickets, striking one of the girl pickets in the face, trampling under foot the American flag carried by another picket, and slashing right and left with murderous clubs and blackjacks.

On Friday evening two thousand pickets, led by M.A. Durso. I.W.W. organizer; Mrs. Margaret Prevey, Socialist lecturer, and Fred Miles, carrying an American flag, marched in double column past the gate of the Goodrich Rubber Co., on the west side of the street and back on the other side in an endless chain, asking the workers on the inside to join the strike. When the whistle blew for the 5:30 shift to leave the plant, the police ordered the crowd to the east side of the street. Calling attention to a city ordinance which allowed them to remain as they were, the crowd refused to go.

Organizer Durso was at once arrested and clubs were drawn against the crowd. Those In the rear, not knowing what was going on. Pushed forward the whole crowd. Sheriff Ferguson rushed up with a drawn blackjack shouting to his deputies, “Wade in and get busy if you want to hold your jobs.” The defenseless pickets were scattered in all directions by the blows from clubs and blackjacks in the hands of the thugs.

One man was struck down with a club and four brutes stood over him raining blows upon his head long after all consciousness had fled. A bystander who protested was bodily thrown into the patrol wagon and hurried off to jail. The unconscious man was also taken to the police station where he was held for more than an hour without medical attention. Reports on March 9 state that he has not yet recovered consciousness and will surely die.

The scabs began pouring from the mills just as the riot was at its height. The infuriated strikers were forced among them and a free for all fight heightened the excitement.

On Saturday afternoon the police provoked another riot on the same spot. Men were slugged and eight arrests were made. The arrested pickets were fined $50 and costs in a special night police court session held by Judge Vaughn. Postponement of the cases was denied. As every lawyer In Akron is subsidized by the Rubber Trust, and Judge Vaughn’s law firm is employed by the rubber companies, there was small chance for a favorable verdict. Vaughn Is said to hold rubber company stock.

During the first week of the strike Governor Cox instructed the Mayor not to interfere with the right of free speech and assemblage. What will be the action taken as a result of recent events Is not yet known.

A monster protest parade was held Saturday and mass meetings were held both on Saturday and Sunday. I.W.W. organizers addressing the crowds. The strikers voted to resume the picketing on Monday morning in spite of the threat of the Cossacks that such an action would not be allowed.

Monday morning saw a fine turnout of pickets and one half of the scabs failed to go to work. The police slugged but one man and he happened to be a scab!

Every effort to break the strike has resulted in a greater solidarity of the striking workers. It but remains for the workers outside of Akron to display as much class spirit in order to speedily win the battle. Let the workers give the proper financial support and the strike is as good as won.

Funds are needed to carry on the work of relief which is the most serious problem at this time. Send all funds to J. W. Boyd, Tres. Box 244, Akron, Ohio.

The Industrial Union Bulletin, and the Industrial Worker were newspapers published by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) from 1907 until 1913. First printed in Joliet, Illinois, IUB incorporated The Voice of Labor, the newspaper of the American Labor Union which had joined the IWW, and another IWW affiliate, International Metal Worker.The Trautmann-DeLeon faction issued its weekly from March 1907. Soon after, De Leon would be expelled and Trautmann would continue IUB until March 1909. It was edited by A. S. Edwards. 1909, production moved to Spokane, Washington and became The Industrial Worker, “the voice of revolutionary industrial unionism.”

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iw/v4n52-w208-mar-20-1913-IW.pdf