Imperial Valley press., 1932-08-26
Writer Reveals
Strike Conditions
Continued From Page u

trucks with Whatever device tney
CAM.
Previously the strikers represent
tatives had laughed to scorn a
proposal that the number Of pick
cts be reduced 80 per cent; that
the farmers use moral suasion on
their fellow farmers by visiting
their homes and urging coopera-
ton to the end desired.
Troops in Readiness
Meantime approximately 5000
strikers were standing by" along
the several highways leading into
Omaha, awaiting Rord from the
peace council.
At Camp Dodge. Des Moines,
busses were held in readiness to
transport troops here if the situa-
ton warranted, although the gov
ernor told Sheriff Lainson he be-
lieved the latter had things well
in hand.
At Des Moines, also, the first
indication of a spread of picketlng
to the state capital appeared when
some milk producers in Polk coun-
ty asked that protection be pro-
vided for shipments of milk into
the city.
1t was late yesterday afternoon
when Percy Lainsoil, tall, lean,
smiling sheriff, received word that
some 300 farmers from the Sioux
City strike area were headed here
with blood in their eyes, deter
mined to effect release of down.
state strikers Jailed as pickets in
Pottawattomie county the previous
night.
Lainson, captain in the Dodge
light guards, which served in the
168th Iowa Infantry in the Rain
bow division during the war, didn't
take any chances. He immediately
swore in hundred additional dep
uties and ordered the town secured
for baseball bats and axe handles
with which to equip his little army.
The upstate strikers arrived, led
by las pounds of middleaged fatal
ism in the person of F. Raymond
Snyder of Kinsley.
Sheriff. said Snyder in sub
stance, My slogan is that these
prisoners you're holding are out on
the street by nightfall-or else.
And my slogan" said Lainson,
fixing his steely eye on Snyder, rs
that these prisoners remain where
they are until they give bond"
The sheriff added that he hoped
there would be no trouble, but if
necessary.
I'm prepared to meet my God
tonight as well as any other time"
the serious upstate leader was quot
ed as concluding.
Bonds Reduced
So there started a series of con-
ferences. Justice of the Peace Jack
Dewitt, young, handsome police re-
porter for a local newspaper dur
ing most of his working hours was
called in.
How about reducing bonds on
the men he had held earlier in
the day at $500 a head?" he was
asked.
His honor, looking like a movie
hero, lived up to the best tradi-
tionS of the actors act and gra-
ciously reduced the amount of the
bail bonds to 500. The day was
saved.
AS they filed out: How about
fees?" dolefully asked one of the
deputies who, among scores of
others, was drawing $3.50 per day
(ten cents mile for transporta-
ton in addition if he drove his
own carr.
Sixty cents for each of these
cases of yours which go up on ap-
peal" answered Reporter-Justice-
of-the-Peace Dewitt. II guess I'm
the only one who will make any
thing much on today's doings.
(The justice Of the peace receives
a fee for all convictions.)
Il believe God is on our side at
last" solemnly said Snyder as the
prisoners he had aided to freedom
filed out Of the old jail.
Sweating copiously in their blue
overalls and shirts and disgruntled
at the jail experience Of 13 hours,
the strikers nevertheless managed
to smile behind several days
growth Of beard as they set out to
resume their picketing along the
highway outside town. Sheriff
Lainson, beaming the best he could
under the circumstances, posed for
a picture with two strike leaders
who were selected TO represent the
farmers at the peace conference
later, and ordered all bats and axe
handles piled up, in case of ano-
ther emergency, inside the jail.