When Boston had no police: The 1919 strike that launched Coolidge’s career

Coolidge’s Boston Police Strike

Boston had no cops on the streets in September 1919.

Over 1,100 police officers walked off their jobs after years of 12-hour shifts in filthy stations while buying their own bullets. Riots broke out as mobs looted stores downtown.

Governor Calvin Coolidge, a quiet man from Vermont, at first did nothing. Then he called in troops, fired all strikers, and sent a now-famous telegram:

“There is no right to strike against public safety. ”

His firm stand turned him from unknown governor to national hero overnight. The Calvin Coolidge Historic Site in Vermont shows where this unlikely president’s journey began.

Boston Cops Faced Miserable Working Conditions in 1919

Boston police officers had it rough before their 1919 strike. They worked 12-hour shifts every day with just one day off every two weeks.

Their yearly pay of $1,100 was less than factory workers made, even though prices had jumped 75% since 1913.

Cops had to buy their own uniforms and bullets. At night, they slept in dirty station houses packed with too many men.

After years of failed talks, the police voted on August 15, 1919, to join the American Federation of Labor.

Police Commissioner Refused to Budge on Union Issue

Edwin Curtis, Boston’s tough Police Commissioner, suspended eight union organizers on August 17, 1919, calling them troublemakers.

He told all officers: drop the union by September 4 or lose your jobs. Mayor Andrew Peters tried to find middle ground, but Curtis wouldn’t give in on the union question.

Governor Calvin Coolidge noted the cops “get less than a street car conductor,” but still opposed their union plans.

Nearly Every Officer Voted to Walk Off the Job

Things hit a breaking point on September 8 when Curtis extended suspensions for 19 union leaders after department trials. That night, the police union showed how angry they were with a vote of 1,134 to 2 for striking.

Every Boston newspaper called the planned walkout “Bolshevistic” and warned readers about what might happen without police.

Officers set their strike to begin at the evening roll call on September 9.

Three-Quarters of Boston’s Police Force Disappeared Overnight

On September 9, 1919, Boston suddenly lost most of its protection when 1,177 of the city’s 1,544 officers walked off the job.

The city had only a small crew of loyal officers left. Governor Coolidge had left for western Massachusetts, making himself hard to reach during the crisis.

Word spread quickly through the streets that the cops were gone, and criminals wasted no time taking advantage.

Mobs Took Over Boston’s Streets Within Hours

By 8 PM on the first night, about 10,000 people filled Scollay Square and South Boston.

Crowds broke store windows, stole whatever they wanted, flipped cars, and robbed people on the streets. People harassed both striking officers and the few cops still working.

Harvard students and professors helped as volunteer police, but they couldn’t stop the growing chaos spreading through Boston’s neighborhoods.

State Guard Troops Fired Into Crowds

Mayor Peters called in Massachusetts National Guard on September 10 and temporarily removed Curtis from command.

The situation turned deadly when State Guard troops shot into crowds in South Boston, killing three people and wounding nine more.

The violence continued through the night with three more deaths. By the end, nine civilians had died, eight shot by State Guard members, and dozens more were hurt in the fights.

Coolidge Finally Showed Up After Two Days of Riots

After staying away during the worst violence, Governor Coolidge finally returned and called up the entire Massachusetts State Guard.

He put Curtis back in charge and took personal control of handling the police situation. Coolidge made it clear he saw the strike as an attack on government authority and public safety.

By September 11, the streets calmed down as large numbers of armed state troops patrolled Boston neighborhoods.

Union Leader Tried to Save Strikers’ Jobs

Samuel Gompers, the head of the American Federation of Labor, rushed back from Europe and urged the striking officers to return to work on September 12.

He sent a message to Mayor Peters asking the city to hold off on making final decisions about the union. The police officers listened to Gompers and agreed to go back right away.

Gompers sent another message to Coolidge, blaming Commissioner Curtis.

Coolidge’s Nine-Word Telegram Made Him Famous

On September 14, Coolidge fired back at Gompers with a short telegram that changed his future:

“There is no right to strike against the public safety by anybody, anywhere, any time.” He refused to remove Curtis or give the striking officers their jobs back.

Those nine words caught fire across the country and turned Coolidge from an unknown New England governor into a household name overnight.

Strikers Lost Everything While Replacements Got Better Deals

Curtis announced on September 13 that he would hire 1,500 new officers with higher pay and better benefits. Every striking officer lost his job permanently.

The new police force got everything the strikers had asked for in the first place: more money, shorter hours, and free uniforms.

The AFL pulled back charters for police unions across the country, effectively ending police unionization for the next twenty years.

Silent Cal Rode Public Support All the Way to the Presidency

More than 70,000 supportive telegrams flooded into Coolidge’s office from people all over America who loved his tough stance.

In November 1919, voters rewarded him with a landslide reelection victory by 125,000 votes, seven times bigger than his win margin the year before.

At the Republican National Convention in June 1920, delegates spontaneously nominated Coolidge for vice president.

He served under President Warren Harding from 1921 to 1923, then took over the White House when Harding died suddenly.

Visiting Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site, Vermont

The Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site at 3780 Route 100A in Plymouth tells how the 1919 Boston Police Strike made an unknown Vermont governor into a national Republican star.

Adults pay $12, kids 6-14 pay $4, and families get passes for $30. Open May 23-October 26, Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm.

The “More than Two Words” exhibit shows Coolidge’s political rise.

You can tour his historic house and visit the working Plymouth Cheese Factory making cheddar with their original 1890s recipe.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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