The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-08-30
BY BRUCE CATION
NEA Service Writer

tCopyrlght. 1882. NEA Service. Inc.)
CIOUX CITY, Ia, Aug. 30.-The
~ picket lines of the striking
Iowa farmers present an interest
ing, unforgettable picture at night
"a weird picture Of half-lights
and deep shadows, with hard
handed grimness lying beneath a
veneer of gay humor.
The picket lines, Of course, were
established to keep farm produce
from being moved to the mar
kets until higher price has been
obtained.
In the Sioux City area, where
the strike originated, the lines are
just about air-tight. 1t is not
exaggerating to say that a regi-
ment Of regulars hardly could
keep truck loads of livestock and
other produce from entering the
city any more efficiently than the
farmers have been doing it.
Six main roads are being pick
eted-three on the Iowa side of
the Missouri river and three on
the Nebraska side.
There never are less than forty
or fifty pickets on each road.
Sometimes each post has as many
as 200 men on duty.
At night, when you approach
one of these posts, going toward
Sioux City, you find military
air about things-a military air
which, at the same time, is cou-
pied with a strange informality.
The men are all dressed alike
blue oyeralls and shirt, battered
hats of felt or straw, heavy boots.
They lounge about carelessly,
chatting quietly, presenting a
stony front to strangers, and
watching every car that passes
with exceeding care.
TINE first thing you encounter is
Il an outpost or two three or
four men. They will be standing
or sitting beside huge sign, illu-
minated by an oil lantern, which
says STOP; Farmers Holiday
Association
When the headlights of a car
appear down the road the men be-
come tense and watchful. AS the
cars headlights pick them out
they stand up, looking forward.
If it is pleasure care, they let
it pass-looking carefully, however,
to see if farm produce happens to
be loaded in the back seat. If it is
truck, they signal it to stop.
Usually the truck stops. A cou-
pie of the men spring up on it and
lnquir MISUNDERSTANDING hrdl unn
inspect its interior If it is empty,
or if it contains "noncontraband"
goods, they let it go on.
If 1t contains livestock, poul-
try, eggs or grain they order it to
turn back. The driver, if he is
wise, obeys without a murmur.
Sometimes, of course, the truck
does not stop. Then the men in
the outpost signal, with a red
lantern, to the main body, hun
dred yards down the roads.
The main body energies from
the shadows in a fever of activity.
Big logs, railroad ties and beams
are tossed across the road.
That usually persuades the
driver TO stop. If he tries to go
one through he is apt to explode
tire or two, or break a spring;
even if none of these things hap
pen, his speed is certain to be cut
down enough SO that the men can
climb up on his truck-and the re-
suit is the same.
n
TIRCULATE about among the
Npickets and you will find them
telling of incidents in which
recalcitrant truck drivers were
made to stop.
"FFhere was a fellow tried to
get through this afternoon, says
one man, a blue shadow in the
black night. He just stepped on
sthe gas when we threw down the
railroad ties.
He lost three tires, broke his