National Affairs: Frightful Film

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"In the front line during the parley with the police is a girl, not more than five feet tall, who can hardly weigh more than 100 lb. Under one arm she is carrying a purse and some newspapers. After the first deafening volley of shots she turns, to find her path to flight is blocked by a heap of fallen men. She stumbles over them, apparently dazed. . . . Then she is seen going down under a quick blow from a policeman's club, delivered from behind. She gets up, and staggers around. A few moments later, she is shown being shoved into a patrol wagon, blood cascading down her face and over her clothing. . . .

"A man shot through the back is paralyzed from the waist. Two policemen try to make him stand up, to get into a patrol wagon, but when they let him go his legs crumple, and he falls with his face in the dirt, almost under the rear step of the wagon. He moves his head and arms, but his legs are limp. He raises his head like a turtle and claws the ground.

"There is continuous talking, but it is difficult to distinguish anything with one exception—out of the babble there arises this clear and distinct ejaculation:

" 'God Almighty!' "

Both Senator La Follette and his Civil Liberties Committee colleague, Senator Thomas, admit that the Paramount picture is not a complete record of the riot. Cameraman Lippert was changing lenses during the vital period preceding the gun play. Still photographs show that the marchers came up with clubs and football helmets, that police were ducking marchers' missiles before they began to shoot.