The labor world., 1922-08-12
ARMY TANKS AND TERRORISM FALL
AGAINST STRIKING STEEL WORKERS

international Labor News Scrvicc)
Cincinnati, Ohio, July 20.-The
iron. steel and tin workers lockout
at Newport, KY. famous as the first
place where army tanks were used
against trade unionists, ranks in the
labor movement with the Homestead
strike when Pinkerton gunmen were
first used.
The Newport lockout is due to the
attitude assumed by the Newport
Rolling Mill company towards its
employees. In two consecutive years
prior to the lockout. the Newport
Rolling Mill company had negotiat-
ed wage scales for all it's depart
ments and last year had agreed to
do so in a conference at Atlantic
City where the hot mill scales had
been agreed to. Several industrial
conferences were held with a view
of effecting agreements in the in
dustrial departments, but for rea-
sons known only to the Newport
Steel company and without any ex-
PLANTATION, the negotiations were bro
ken off and the company declared
for the non-union shop, so-called the
"open shop" The Newport Rolling
Mill company broke its agreement
and at once started a campaign of
terror in a peaceful community. The
mill was barricaded, gunmen were
imported, and under the pretense
that the locked out men had fired
at the mill the company thugs shot
up the homes and business places
adjacent to the mill and started a
reign of terror. Mothers, with their
children, were compelled to seek
shelter in cellars for hours. This
outrage was repeated time and again
without the slightest justification.
To place the onus on the workers
the Newport Rolling Mill company
conducted a propaganda in the Gin
cinnati Enquirer. and so5Fe other
dailies, to maKeT the public believe
that the shooting it's gunmen en-
gagged in was to repel an attack made
upon its propery. in order to have
a semblance of justice to ask for an
injunction to restrain the workers
from picketing. Judge Cochrane, of
the United States Federal court, very
speedily granted it. The restraining
order stripped the locked out work
ers Of all the rights granted citizens
under the Constitution of our coun-
try. 1t even went further than a re-
cent decision of the Federal supreme
court, which allows one picket to
keep watch at the mill gate.
Not satisfied with such a drastic
injunction, the Newport Rolling Mill
company persuaded Kentucky State
Governor Morrow to send the state
militia to Newport. The city was al
once placed under military control
and there followed a reign Of auto.
cratic regulations, the like of which
has seldom been equalled, If ever
in the United States. The workers
were not allowed to hold lodge meet.
q, ings in Kentucky and were forced tt
transfer their lodge meetings to Gin.
cinnati. The right Of free speech wa:
taken away from citizens as well a:
from the workers directly affected
Even public officials were arrested
II they expressed their opinions In {
x manner that was not pleasing to tn,
military powers. Men not identified
with the lockout were arrested ant
incarcerated within the mill barri
cade on the slightest pretext. Th'
: sworn statements Of those so arrest
TA ~ woro n,,h1iShe1 in tho nroaa M.
h are matter Of record. Pregnan
Z mothers were handled roughly, oil
4 men were shot down as were thos
H who did not understand English. be