Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1920-10-22
Claim He Had "Never Pressed q
Soldier Into an Industrial
Controversy" Not True.
USED OHIO MILITIA TWICE
Question Not About Merits of
Strike or Need for Military,
+ but as to TruthfuIness.
BY WILLIAM AosTER.

Columbus, 0.-Governor James NJ
Cox's boasted labor record has been
shattered by, his own. official act.
Claiming that he had never pressed
a soldier into an industrial controver-,
sy." the record of his action as gov
ernor OF Ohio In mobilizing the Ma
tlonal Guard of this. state for service
In the steel strike of 1919 has been
produced In fat contradiction Of his
assertion.
Not once, but on two occasions was
the Ohio guard. at an expense OF S23.-
600 to the people OF Ohio. called into
service and sent to Akron and held In
readiness for action in nearby Canton.
The question is not as to the merits
Of the strike or asfc the necessityf0r
the. presence ,ef the .gnard within sEflk-
ing distance of Canton, but concerns
wholly the trufhf,fIncss Of Governor
Cox's statement obviously made to win
favor among the workingmen. The
facts as brought eut In the speech OK
Republican State Chairman George n.
CLARK. formally opening the campaign
at Columbus, are as follows:
Ordered Guard Out Twice.
After the steel strike had progressed
for some days, with more or less disor-
der. Governor Cox ON September 2S.
1910, suddenly ordered the mobilization
OF the guard at Akron. A period Of
quiet followed, and the troops were
withdrawn. And then again suddenly
on October % the guard was once more
mobilized and sent to Akron, and while
it lay there at that strategic point
awaiting a summons into action staff
officers representing Governor Cox kept
close watch on the situation In Cam
ton.
In his speech at Wheeling, w. Va,
on the night OF August ID Governor
Cox said:
"For six years have been In execu-
tive authority in the great Industrial
state of Ohio. During all this time |
have never pressed soldier Into I'm in
dysuial conroversy.,",
The question Is, did Governor Cox
tell the TRUTH Answering this ques-
ton, Chairman Clark in his Columbus
speech displayed to his audience a pho,
tographic copy OF Special Order No. 81
issued from the Adjutant Generals de-
partment Of the State OF Ohio, dated
Columbus, October 25, 1919, which des-
ignated certain officers for immediate
active service and paragraph 4 ei
which reads; s
Facts Presented.
"In anticipation OF the development
Of riotinE condition st Canton, O.. ths
essssnsT 81 Ohio mas deemed il neces'
sary to assemble sufficient number Of
state troops at Akron, o., to be held in
! readiness to resider aid to the civil Ru
tAsrifies at Canton. o.. and has so di
rected the Adjutant General OF Ohio
who. pursuant to such order. directs
Colonel BENSON w. H0ugb 70 proceed
without delay TO Akron, o.. to taks
command OF sil state troops upon ar
rival at Akrsn, o., and to hold them II
readiness for duty, araitinS {prthel
orders"
The order is signed by the Adjqtan'
General and counfer-signea In these
Words. 10y command Of Governor Cox =
Did Governor Cox tell the truth Il
the worklngMsal
supplemshslaf this ,locumen tary
proes Mr.. CLARK produced photograph.
ic copies OF headlines from Canton, o.,
newspapers OF concurrent date, which
read Estate troops mobilislne for duty
here. Al available eompanIes are or.
defed Out.' And s'Governor orders
troops for duty here. ohio soldiers re-
porting to arInsrIes Following trouble. /"
Truth Should Be knswn.
The surprising thing about II all 10
that Governor Cox IN his Wheeling
speech should have made 80 Cat an ms-
sertion when aIl OF THE facts with re-
gard to his mobilization or The guard
We're still fresh IN the public mind, at
least In Ohio. o. course II Is not ID e
expected that wnrkingmen elsewhere
in the United States would be familiar