The Washington times., 1930-12-16
STRIKE NEARS
4TH MONTH
IN VA.
Dynamiting Continues; Youth
Shot by Guards When Rum
Auto Refuses to Heed Order

Auto Refuses to Heed Order
DANvnLE, Va, Dec. 16.-An
attempt to pass the Gordon of
Virginia National Guardsmep
thrown across the United States
Highway at Schoolfield, four
miles from here, led to the shoot
ing and probable fatal wounding
OF Lockwood Pickett, 24-year-old
youth Of Forest Hill, N. c.. early
today.
Young Pickett was wounded in
the spine when he attempted to
pass through the guards. Treated
by Major Henry White, chief Of
the guard medical service here,
he was later removed to Me
mortal Hospital in a critical con-
dition.
Woman. Liquor Held
An unidentified young woman
who accompanied Pickett escaped
injury and is being held incom-
municado. It was reported that
so gallons Of liquor were found
In the car.
Military authorities threw a
veil Of silence around the shooting
and refused to make public any
report concerning the affair.
The 500 guardSmen, COM
manded by Col. Heroine Opie,
have been on duty here for
several weeks, being ordered out
by Governor Pollard to take
charges Of the strike zone out
side the city proper.
With half q dozen dynamitings
In the past three days, the guards
men have been on the alert to
trap the dynamiters who are
believed to slip over from North
Carolina.
All Cars Are Halted
The guards have been stopping
all machines at night and search
ing them for explosives and SUI
spiciouS persons despite scores Of
protests from tourists and work
men who are driving home from
night work.
This is not the first time that
the guardSmen have fired at cars
that refused to stop, it is said, but
this is the first time that the
shots have taken effect.
Pickett, driving through with
the load Of liquor, is believed to
have feared he was being stopped
by prohibition agents and sped up
his car instead Of bringing it to
Q halt.
Military authorities refuse to
say how many shots were fired at
the car or who fired them.
One, however, struck the man
in the back and the car skidded
to a halt.
A military board will be con-
Vened to investigate the shooting.
All efforts to effect a settlement
Of the textile strike, now in its
twelfth week, have failed.
Despite the statement Of Harry
Fitzgerald, president Of the mills,
that he still has the same love
for "hiS people" he has refused to
meet with a committee Of workers
to try and effect a settlement.
Refuses to Meet Them
Anxious to do something to al.
1eviate suffering that the worst
cold snap Of the winter has
brought on, union heads offered
to have q committee Of workmen
meet with the mill heads to dis
cuSs conditions.
In response, 1t was stated CURLY
by the mill officials that there
win be no dealings with the strik-
erS.
At the same time, however, It
was indicated that the mill
owners are not so sure of winning
the strike.
In spite Of the appeal from
Fitzgerald, few of the strikers
returned to work yesterday.
The mill owners declared that
1000 employees returned, but q
check kept by lnintereSted oh.
servers indicated that less than
half that number returned to
their jobs, only a slight increase
over the number that has been
working since the strike started.