The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-11-10
MICHELIN PICKET
Line DEFIANT AS
THUGS ASSAULT
Firms Hirelings Fail
to Smash Line of 500
by Beating, Arrest
One Picket Is jailed
Hundreds Meet in the
Woods; Promise Relief
(Speciol to the Dailp Worker)

tDPeOtut 70 Ito DuHB w oFhef/
MILLTOWN, N. j., Nov. 9.-4The
assault of plain clothes thugs, under
county sheriff Hanna, on this after
Moons mass picket lines of 500 men
and women strikers at the Michelin
Tire Co. here failed completely to
destroy the demonstration of the
workers or their determination to
fight until their demand for wage
increases has been granted. Despite
the sheriff's orders for all leading
pickets to "get out of Milltown and
stay out" meeting of the Strike
Committee convened quietly in the
atmosphere of incipient company and
county terrorism. Word over long
distance telephone that the Strike
Committee meeting was converting is
the latest news received from the
scene of the strike struggle.
Mass Lines March.
Following a successful meeting in
the woods behind the Michelin plant.
the picket lines massed in the fields
near the company barracks and, with
placards denouncing the wage cuts,
marched up the side street, turned
the corner into Main Street and
passed slowly in front of the red
brick building while the bosses and
foremen peeped from the windows.
Strikers early noticed the presence
of plain clothes detectives and ex-
pected that the Michelin bosses might
attempt to interfere with the mass
picketing. Sheriff Hanna, with an
automobile full of plain clothes thugs
hastily summoned by the company
was waiting for the demonstration.
As. the picket line swung past the
finachinists department, the only de-
partment not yet out, the thugs as
saulted the picket line, in which were
many women, some with babies in
their arms.
Samuel Brody, labor organizer, and
A. Hoffman, militant picket, were
grabbed by thugs and pummeled.
Brody was thrown to the ground
while the thugs leaped on him. When
they attempted to force him into
their car, however, he escaped them
Defiant Picket Jailed.
Hoffman was less fortunate. AL
though his beating was less severe
than that inflicted on Brody, Hoff-
man was forced into the sheriff's
car and rushed towards New Bruins
wick. Fear of the strikers that
Hoffman had been "taken for ride
and might be found in ditch by
the roadside, led to the final dis
covery of the militant picket leader
in the county Jail in New Brunswick
where he is lodged with no charges
against him.
This is the second beating Hoff-
man has received. He was slugged
during yesterdays mass picketing
when he successfully resisted three
assailants who tried to drag him ir
back of the plant for a further
beating.
The International Labor Defense
will take care of the legal end OF
Hoffman's case.
Strike Meeting In Woods.
This afternoons strike meeting
was crowded by men and womer
strikers, who massed in the woods
behind the Michelin plant and con.
sidered the progress of their strug.
gle for hours, despite the bitter wine
blowing from the pond.
Following speeches by Samue
Brody, Vanni Montana, Tom Defacic
and Harriet Silverman, the meeting
elected a strike committee of twenty
members. The committee agreed te
meet at 5 p. m. today and secured
room for this purpose at 507 MAR
St., through the kindness of sym
pathizer.
Brody in his speech pointed out the
necessity for solidarity and persis
tence if the workers are to force
the fight to the boss and make hin
feel the power of the strikers. HI
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