OLE HANSON: MAYOR

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 133, 7 June 1919, Page 10

OLE HANSON: MAYOR

VICTORY OVER THE I.W.W.

HOW SEATTLE WAS SAVED,

Ole Hanson, the Mayor of Seattle, U.S.A., who saved the city from the 1.W.W., was born in Wisconsin, in 1874, of Norwegian parents, and was graduated from the local common school at thirteen. At seventeen he entered a law office in Racine, and two years later was fitted for the Ba-r and passed his examinations. Being too young for admission, however, he took to selling drug sundries as a stopgap. This led to an interest in business that diverted him from a career in the law, which he never practised. But he is now chiefly famous for his courage and resource as a Mayor of a big city at a time when it was seriously menaced1.

In M'Clure's Magazine Mr. Hanson tells, by the editor's request, in his own words, how, by prompt action, the attempt was squelched of I.W.W. revolutionists and Bolshevists by a sndden general strike to paralyse tlia-t city and upset Government. It is a, short but thrilling and instructive narrative: — At 10 o'clock, 6th February, 1919, a strange silence fell over our city of 400,000 people. Street-car gongs ceased their clamour, newsboys cast their unsold papers into the street, from the doors of mill and factory, store, and workshop, streamed 65,000 workmen. School children with fear in their hearts hurried homeward. The life stream of a great city stopped. The mass strike, most potent weapon of revolutionists, was in operation. Merchants, bankers, tradesmen, preachers, lawyers, doctors, and workers stood in silence with questioning looks on their faces. It was as if a great earthquake was expected from which none could escape. The criminal leaders of union labour issued their ukase refusing to allow anyone to do anything in any way without first securing their august permission, evidenced by a printed slip marked "Exemption." They announced that only a few exemptions would be granted. They would bury the dead if the hearse and" automobile owners gave them half the* profits; they would allow hospitals to operate, if exemption was applied for; but light, transportation, food in stores or restaurants, were not exempted. They said: "We will run our soup, houses, and that is all we will do." They graciously permitted the sale of a ration of milk for all bottle-fed babies. They demanded that our municipal utilities should cease to be. They openly advocated the taking over of all enterprises. By " they" I mean the leaders. And who were they? Leon Green, Russian, alien, slacker, liar, Bolshevik, 1.W.W., and head of the Electrical Workers' Union; E. B. Ault, editor of the Union Record, who said to me on the day of Roosevelt's death, "I am glad he is dead; he stood in our way!" Hulet M Wells, convicted for opposing the draft, out on bail; A. E. Miller, said to carry an I.W.W card, head of the Metal Trades Council ; Frank Turco, alien; Ben Nauman, city mployee and boiler inspector. Supporting these men by word and deed-were thousands of Bolsheviks and I.W.W. aliens, as well as many others of the same ilk. One woman was prominent, Anna Louise Strong, recalled from office of school director on a patriotic issue by vote of the people of Seattle, and even to-day, as I write, she is one of the writers on the Union Record, which , ' said : ' 'Labour will not only shut down the industries, but Labour will reopen under the management of the appropriate trades such activities as are needed to preserve public health and public peace. Labour may feel, led to avoid public suffering by reopening more and more activities under its own management. We are undertaking the most tremendous'move ever made by labour'in this country, a move which will lead no one knows where." Green said : "You shall have no light and no power. Your streets shall be dark.; Hospitals cannot function. We will make it so terrible that in a short time we will win." I said : "We shall have light and water and transportation. Our municipal activities shall not cease. This is America and not Russia. You and your anarchists shall- not control this Government. '' Thus we defied them. Their plans were carefully laid. Soldiers' and sailors' and workmen's councils had been organised to have super-control of things. Different crafts were _to conduct each industry. Confiscation and reappropriation were to come, they thought. They were wrong. We had prepared with machine-guns, rifles, and shotguns. We took over the arms in pawnshops and stores; we stopped the sale of cartridges and ammunition. And on Friday morning I issued my proclamation, as follows :— "PROCLAMATION TO THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE. "By virtune of the authority vested in' me as Mayor, I hereby guarantee to a.lfc the people' of Seattle absolute and complete protection. They should go about their daily work and business in perfect security. We have 15,C00 policemen, 16,000 "regular soldiers from Camp Lewis, and can and will secure, if necessary, every soldier in the north-west to protect life, business, and property. "The time has come for every person in Seattle to show his Americanism. Go about your daily duties without fear. We will see to it that you have food, transportation, water, light, gas, and all necessities. The anarchists in this community shall not rule its affitirs. All persons violating the laws will be dealt with summarily. "OLE HANSON, Mayor."

I then sent my ultimatum to the strike committee, and demanded unconditional, complete, and unequivocal surrender. Tho Seattle Star, guarded' by 100 police, printed 100,000 copies with a headline: "'Seattle—United States of America."

With my proclamation occupying most of the first page, oiu1 policemen and motor-cars and trucks spread them broadcast over the city.

The effect was like a fire'alarm. Seattle awoke. Thousands flocked to the City Hall. Within fifteen minutes after the first paper was given away, 250 Elks' came in a. body to my office. The strike was broken!

The light plant, tlie water plant never stopped one moment. The hospitals functioned, the stores reopened, the street cars started running. Thomas F. Murphino, my friend1 and my appointee as Superintendent of Public Utilities, ran the first car through the crowded streets, unguarded but unafraid.

I gave orders to slioot on sight any law-breaker, and Joe Warren, Chief of Police, a dead shot, and a. true man, Blood ready with 15,000 men under him to quell disorder. We used no soldiora for any purpose either as guards or pcJicemen, although 1000 stood ready to ■help. No martial law was declared. The American spirit of our people burst into flame and the Bolsheviks, thel.W.W.'s, the Internationalists, the traitors—all of them cowards —crowded the railway sta.tions and wharves to make their escape, Seattle stood four square and loyal, and in my judgment its citizenship and its lovo of country prevented the spread of the liell-inspirecl doctrines of Lenin and Trotsky. I ani proud to bo Mayor of such a people and of such v. city, proud to know that misled and befooled union labour ■realised its error in tirao, Tho betrayed ■workors will be forgiven. Seattle may forgive but it can never forget.