New-York tribune., 1919-10-08
Following Action, Mayor
of Indiana Town Puts
Blame for Disorders
on Socialist Agitators
Machine Guns at
All Street Corners
1000 Members of Amer.
lean Legion VIII Act
as Military Police
Spsciri Correspondent 20

Hpfc'1t correspondence
'hit AGO. Oct. Z. Wholesale sei-
ures OF hrearms, radical literature and
red flags in the homes Of Gorv pteci
strikers to-day were followed swiftl,.
by statement bv Mayor William +
hodges. placing blame for the strike
ana ITS consequent outbreaks sauarcl,
on socialist leaders in the Indiana city
Inc raids were made hv Federal
operators, with the aid of United
States troops. They set in motion mn,
ch'nery that will result in the swear.
ing III tonight Of 1000 mem bers Of the
american Legion rs spcciui r,ilitar,
poiice 10 reinforce the regulars. cat,
policemen and deputy sheriff ALREADY
serving on strike duty IN the capt,al
OF midwestern steeldom
About 500 strikers, ignoring General
woods order, assembled in the nar,
near the City Hall with the intention
OF noldlng mass meeting Five no
iicemen hurried to the scene and or
dered the crowd TO disperse. The
strikers scattered without making any
protcsh
Crowd Watches Soldiers
Part of the crowd walked over 20
where company of field artillery was
drilling and watched IN silence the sol
dlers go through rhc cvoiutions. Others
went over to watch the coohs iu tho
mess tent prepare supper.
at a special meeting of the Gary
Post OF the American Legion called h..
Major A. ?. Melton, post commandcy
Major Melton outlined the situation
which he termed dangerous, and or
dered every one of the thousand mem
bers to report in the Gary Library 10.
night to be sworn in for special dptv
ne men will be allowed TO wear thei,
uniforms and will take orders directly
from the military authorities.
i place the blame for this sifuatio,
squarely where ii belongs. and that is
on the shoulders Of Red leader" ':' de- ~
clared Mayor Hodges. but for them
we would have had "a, troub.e. They
dehed law and order aid the troops
mere are the answer Of ~ and order"
Mayor Avoided Eloodshed
In answer to criticism of ms failure
to order the militianlen 90 STOP the
strikers parade staged Monday n de-
nance OF his specific orders tho Nayos
said
ITO have attempted to stop 'na, dem
onstra'lon, which WAS three parts pa
trio ic ard one part Boishcvik. would
haTe meant the spilllng of much blood
The young soldiers who led the marc
were men who had faced bullets be.
fore. Ny better judgment told me- 20
allow the parade 10 continue rs long ss
no overt act was committed. None was
committed"
Meanwhile. Gary presented The ap,
pearance Of an armed camp The
streets brstcd with bsyone's that
glinted in the sun. On street corners
swept clean Or crowds that .uslIy
clutter them wicked looking machine
guns held the interest Of those who
IL Il -
sprinklcd here md there along the Z,
chief thorouehfares field artillery gavak
warning that they too. might ID
wheeled into use upon need.
City Like Armed Camp
indication Of the Varl r. asrec,
whiep hes been hung over GsrH mas
be had from summary o. tho military
units on duty there or infantry 'horc
are fotr companies. foroc wacaino gun
companies. three battofies of teld ar
illcry. one compaay ~ engineer and
ono company of the signal corps.
7ne forces ar supplemented by
headquarters company. Colonel Napess
headquarters we're es-abl shrd I'm the
City Hall. That ne l. pre- pared "a carr,
out rigidiy Genera u ond order pro.
hibiting discharged soldiers and -oldic'
strikers or their sVmnathlzerr from
dent when score O. former army mer
we're brought in. After eiv discharg
papers had been examined thes Were
warned not To appear again n .1e uni
forms.
Heavy continyenfs o. fhe ladiana
Guard are stationed a. Indiana II srhof
and East Chicago
Strikers Are satisfied
General Wood announced the ely o.
Gary would be placed under military
control He told both the strikers and
the authorities that the function OF the
city government would be ir,crfereo
with as little as possible. ana called
unon all citizens TO lend their assist
ance 20 the military authorities. Cen
eral Woods announcement followed
conference With Mayor HODGES the
chief Of police; Oscar Anderson. strike
leader and president of the Gary Dis
trict Steel Council. and members Of the
Loyal American League.
I'm satisfied with martial law, sa'd
Anderson "a 10 left the city Hall
"Now the strikers wiz get protection
and we viii win the STRIKE