The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-05-02
STRIKING METAL
POLISHERS SEE
VICTORY ahead
Long Struggle Marked
BY Many Arrests
BY OWEN STIRLING.
Especial to The Daily Worker.l

especial TO The Daily Worker.)
DETROIT, Mich, April 3o.-Admir-
alton is growing among workers thru
out the Detroit Industrial district for
the courage and solidarity Of the strik-
ing metal pollshers.
The metal poIshers are striking at
the c. 3. Shepard Co. plant here, one
OF the largest metal polishing shops
in the district.
Against their ranks injunctions
have been brought, wholesale prosecu-
lions on groundless charges of assault
and battery, brass knuckles, clubs,
knives and in at least one instance,
pistol fire. The company has sue
ceeded in taking nine metal pol
ishers off the picket line into
the recorders court for trial for
what the company's hired thugs said
was assault and battery. But the
ranks were Immediately closed with
other strikers. And in each of the
nine cases the company's strikebreak--
ers and guards failed to show the
judge an assault had been committed.
Thugs Found Guilty.
Against that record is a record of
three convictions against guards for
assault and battery. They were the
only three company men against
whom the strikers made charges in
court. Every charge stuck
Charles Oman, company employ
ment officer, and William Burke, a
strike breaker, are now awaiting trial
on charges of felonious assault. They
led gang of thugs in an attack upon
an automobile carrying union men,
Oman used pistol. Strikers said
one bullet shattered the wind shield
of the union mems car.
Strikebreakers Assaulted Pickets.'
Trial for felonious assault also fac
es Edward Moss, another strikbreak-
er, one of gang of 25 thugs who at
tackled Luther Buckmaster and Presi-
dent Debates as they were peacefully
walking the picket line. Buckmaster
fled to nearby railroad watchmans
shed. Altho the Waterman forbade
them to enter, the gangsters pushed
him aside and cut Buckmaster in the
face and he had to be taken to a hos
pital
The three charged with felonious
assault were released for trial later
on $500 bail.
The metal polishers are striking
against a second 10 per cent wage
cut. They had taken one cut and
were determined not to take another
The strike is now in its third month.
Company Loses Heavily.
Strikebreakers have been marshall
ed at the plant in a desperate effort
to continue operation, but the COM
pany has lost heavily both in orders
and in spoiled goods. The strikers
have recently been cheered with au-
thentic information that the company
in a short time will have to capitulate
to the workers or go bankrupt.
Victory is Ahead.
The outlook for the strikers has not
always been so encouraging. But in
the face of violence, wholesale trials
and dwindling purses they have gone
back each day to the picket line.
A circuit court judge in the early
days of the strike issued individual
Injunctions against six of the strikers.
But the company has failed in its eff
forts to obtain blanket INDUCTION.
Organized labor turnout the district
is following the strike daily with high
interest.
"The men are demonstrating solid
arity. Fighting as they are for a de-
cent standard of living for themselves
and their families they are fighting
also not only for organized labor in
the district, but for the entire work
ing Glass; Edgar Owens, district or
ganizer of the Workers Party, said.