July 23, 1914
READY TO FORCE REBA TO DINE TO BREAK HER STRIKE
Commissioner Davis Says She Will Stand No Nonsense From Anarchist.
BERKMAN THREATENS.
Predicts Violence if Girl Agitator Is Injured by the Authorities.
Reba Edelson, the I. W. W. hunger striker, was still on strike, to all appearances, in the workhouse on Blackwell's Island today. But the authorities are puzzled over her excellent physical condition and her cheerful demeanor. She is a bouncing, buxom female for one who has not eaten since the beginning of the week.
If it is found that Reba is really fasting and that none of the prisoners has been smuggling food to her she will be wrapped up In blankets and forcibly fed as soon as signs appear that her abstention from food is injuring her health.The prison authorities on Blackwell's will from now on watch every loaf of bread passed out to women prisoners. Of course it is not their intention to prevent the Edelson girl from declaring off her hunger strike, but they want to know whether the Edelson girl is a sincere fanatic or a plain every day clever little faker.
"Miss Edelson is in fine shape," declared Dr. Katz the resident physician at the Workhouse this morning. She is as good physically as she was when she came hero. No, she has not eaten any regular meals served her," added the physician. Beyond this assertion he would not venture.
The Edelson girl began her supposed fast on Monday afternoon. She was then in the Tombs. Up to noon today seventy-two ours have elapsed since she partook of prison food sent her at the regular meal times. Although water has been placed in the girl's cell she apparently has not partaken of any of it.
"She needn't think that I'm going to sit three months with my finger on her pulse, looking after her welfare," said Commissioner Davis. "I'm not.
"And I hope she doesn't get the idea that she's going to be offered chocolate bonbons or ice cream sodas to induce her to eat. (See also this article that mentions they gave her bonbons in April.) She may eat or fast, just as she wants, and if she fasts I'm going to have her forcibly fed. There will be no foolishness about the matter.
"She's not a mental defective, like Jane Est, the other agitator, whom we sent to Matteawan. The mind of the Est woman was affected, but Reba's is perfectly normal. The only thing wrong with her is that she wants all the notoriety she can get. It's a shame the newspapers give her any attention. If she were ignored completely she would soon come to terms.
"Forcible feeding is nothing extraordinary. It is frequently done at the Bedford Reformatory, where I had charge of a large number of girls who were difficult to deal with. It won't hurt her a bit."
"They are not dealing with a Jane Est when they have Reba Edelson on their hands. Miss Edelson is not a girl, but a determined woman," said Alexander Berkman, the Anarchist leader today. "If anything should happen to her we shall hold the authorities morally and legally responsible."
Berkman announced that large groups of Anarchists from various cities will meet tonight at the Ferrer school headquarters, 63 East One Hundred and Seventh street. They will represent Boston, Providence, Paterson, the Mother Earth faction, the Anti-Militant League and other organizations. (Note: I suspect that it was the Anti-Militarist League.)
"Reba Edelson is a political prisoner and not a common felon," said Berkman. "The officers who arrested the young woman said they did so for protection. But Miss Edelson will be out very shortly and then she'll be heard from again--perhaps in a surprising manner."
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