"For the people, protect our rights! For the people, protect our rights!" -protesters outside Chusett Town Hall, 1918
Conflict Type
Political Debate
Years of Abuse
For nearly a decade prior to the 1918 labor strikes, companies and politicians alike had been promising safer work conditions and higher wages. But with each passing year, every time a bill was introduced, it failed to pass or even if it did, the changes paled in what most laborers considered the bare minimum. Companies made it nearly impossible for workers to gain ground since unionizing was considered conspiring and grounds for termination.
The Breaking Point
Safety had always been a top priority for laborers. Few businesses paid their employees reasonably for working absurd hours in under hazardous conditions. But what was considered worse than an adult working a dangerous job was children being forced to work similar jobs just to eat. Following an incident at
New Transportations' factory where three young boys were killed and several others were injured, people had finally had enough.
The Strike
No one knows who originally had the idea, but word quickly spread that a massive strike was going to happen. No planned date was ever spread and instead, on the 21
st of the 6
th month, people just didn't show up for work. Rumors after the fact say that some people just couldn't go anymore and decided to protest and the crowd just grew from there. Within the first few hours of the day, several hundred had gathered in Chusett town square. By noon, there were several thousand workers on strike, protesting their unfair treatment.
"It was just a few of us holding signs outside the town hall. Within an hour, there was a sea of people." -an older gentleman
"We need you all to clear the road now! This is an emergency, please move out of the way!"
"We aren't doing anything wrong!"
Tensions and Conflict
No one arrived the second day with ill intent, but with the massive crowd gathered in town square, police began to find it difficult to leave the station and respond to emergencies elsewhere. Initially they only asked of protesters to move away from the station and clear roads for emergency vehicles, but as soon as one crowd did as requested, a second crowd would enter having never heard the message. Officers began to get frustrated and started forcefully removing people from the street. People grew confused and frustrated, assuming the police were there to put an end to the strike. In response, one protester charged an officer. The officer panicked and shot the man.
Burning Passion
The city exploded; protesters nearest the gunshot quickly ran away. False rumors spread that police were authorized to use deadly force in order to break up the protests. Emotions rumbled and many broke into fits of rage. Stores were looted, offices were torched, and citizens brawled with police. The town square and downtown areas received the worst of the riots but damage reached as far as uptown Chusett. The conflict went on for two more days before finally quieting, and it wouldn't be until after six months of investigation that the initial cause of the riot was discovered.
Charles Doolan's Arrest
Doolan had been a long time labor rights activist and known aggravator. As the riots started, Doolan had been directing participants towards specific buildings and shouting claims the police had sided with the businesses. He was arrested on charges of inciting panic and conspiring destruction of property.
Chusett Jailhouse Breakout
Following Doolan's arrest, the riots found their way to the short staffed jailhouse where they captured and beat the guards and freed all the prisoners. It would take CPD several months to recapture all escaped prisoners and would lead to a reinforcement project on the jail.
New Transportation Factory Arson
On the second day of riots, a group found themselves at the place where the conflict jumped off; the factory where the young boys had died. In order to get revenge on New Technologies, they torched the building, destroying most the equipment. Unfortunately, they were unaware of a lone security guard who had fallen asleep in the office. The guard burned alive and all participants of the arson turned themselves in.
Entry for WorldEmber 2020
All work (including art, designs, names, etc.) are created by ZogMadDog (Harry Hartzog) unless otherwise stated.
I think the last sentence of the 'Burning Passion' section ends slightly too early - I think it needs a 'was found' at the end of something. This is a really interesting article - sadly all too believable for protests to turn into riots. I think the arson at the factory incident is the most shocking thing, but I guess all the people who turned themselves in were horrified a man died too.