The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1920-05-29
Those Desiring Work Should
Apply at Offices On or Be-
fore Tuesday Morning
STRIKE SITUATION
WAS EXAGGERATED
Report Was Current in Twin
Cities and Duluth That Con-
| dition Here Was Serious

mills and the Bemidji Box company
have announced that they would be-
gin operations on Tuesday morning,
June LIST. Any former employees or
any others who are DESTROYS of 60
ing to work are requested to apply
at the offices of the companies on or
before Tuesday morning.
The plants will be operated on a
ten-hour basis and on the same wage
scale as prevailed during the month
of April.
Twin City and Duluth papers con-
tanned articles this morning to the
effect that the workmen were being
intimidated and that the destruction
of the mills were threatened, and
that an influx of I. w. WIS and labor
agitators had focked to Bemidji.: .
w. The article also stated that Sheriff
Andrew johnson and Mayor L. F.
johnson had made official reports Of
the threatened conditions and that
they had requested that the national
guard company of Bemidji be ordered
to remain here to assist in protecting
lives and property, and that they be
excused from attending the encamp-
-ment at Fort Smelling from June S
to 10.
Inquiry made into local conditions
revealed the fact that reports had
been made to Governor Burnquist
and that Major W. C. CARTS was
sent to Bemidji by the governor to
investigate and report his findings.
1t was reported locally that strikers
who were doing picket duty in an
eort to prevent others from securing
employment, were becoming more
persistent in their efforts to stop the
men from going to work and that in
order to prevent trouble of any kind
it was thought best to take every pre-
cautious method possible.
In view of the fact that the local
national guard were going to Fort
Smelling June 5, it was thought best
to advise the governor of the situation
should the mills decide to open and
operate during their absence. Be-
cause of this matter having been
brought to their attention, outside
papers Immediately jumped at the
conclusion that conditions were seri-
,ous in Bemidji.
Thus far nothing Of serious nature
has developed as far as actual labor
trouble is concerned. The men have
been exceptionally well behaved and
their attitude toward those who pre-
ferred to go to work on the ten-hour
basis has thus far been quite ordi-
nary. A few cases have been re-
ported where the picketers have be-
come "nasty" and more persistent
daily, and it was thought that be-
cause of this increased persistency,
serious trouble might ensue.
investigators find that the men
who have been actually employed IN
the local mills and factories and who
have been making their homes here,
are a we'll behaved lot, but they also
find that the city contains quite q
number of strange faces, many OF
whom are believed to be radical
/. w. WIS and agitators. 1t is this
class which breeds discomfort and I'M
rest among those who would prefer
to handle the situation themselves.
1t is a known fact that the timber
workers who live in Bemidji are
good, clean, gentlemanly lot OF tel-
lows.
The mills are going to operate on
Tuesday and indications are tna1
large percentage of the strikers are
anxious to go to work and great
many have stated that they would re-
turn to work as soon as the mills