By His Excellency the Governor,

     ALBERT P. LANGTRY

     Secretary of the Commonwealth

God save the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

XXXV

AN ORDER

  BOSTON, September 11, 1919

To EDWIN U. CURTIS,

As you are Police Commissioner of the City of Boston,

Executive Order No. 1

You are hereby directed, for the purpose of assisting me in the performance of my duty, pursuant to the proclamation issued by me this day, to proceed in the performance of your duties as Police Commissioner of the city of Boston under my command and in obedience to such orders as I shall issue from time to time, and obey only such orders as I may so issue or transmit.

  CALVIN COOLIDGE
  Governor of Massachusetts

XXXVI

A TELEGRAM

  BOSTON, MASS., Sept. 14, 1919

MR. SAMUEL GOMPERS

President American Federation of Labor, New York City, N.Y.

Replying to your telegram, I have already refused to remove the Police Commissioner 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 questioned, never granted, is now prohibited.  The suggestion of President Wilson to Washington does not apply to Boston.  There the police have remained on duty.  Here the Policemen’s Union left their duty, an action which President Wilson characterized as a crime against civilization.  Your assertion that the Commissioner 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 Massachusetts and in their refusal to obey the orders of the Police Department.  Nineteen 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.  I can suggest no authority outside the courts to take further action.  I wish to join and assist in taking a 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.  I 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.