The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-09-08

fore the end of the week has come
true. The cotton textile industry is
paralyzed; the shutdown in the
silk and wool industries will be close
to complete before the end of to-
day"
German Asks for Troops
German astounded the morning
press conference by announcing, as
he walked into the room, that
We're going to ask for Federal
troops to protect our strikers" This
declaration also surprised many
of the press because, as everyone
knows, Federal troops have always
been used against strikers, and not
for the purpose of protecting them.
During strikes they have protect
ed" the same employer group as has
the National Guard. Several con-
sentative newspapermen, surprised
that German didn't protest against
the use of any troops, looked upon
the unusual request as a publicity
stunt.
Germans mimeographed state
ment read:
Attempts to Reopen Mills
Reports coming in from the mill
centers Of Southern States tell of
the increasing use Of the National
Guard units, under the direction
of governors of the states, to break
this strike. These units are being
used against the strikers and in
behalf of the mill owners
TN the face of this action, we
propose to ask the Federal govern
ment to use its military forces
wherever it may be necessary for
the protection of textile workers,
who in this strike have acted with
in their rights under the law.
These reports tell of attempts,
through the presence Of militia
units, to reopen some of the mills
that are closed and made under
the auspices and direction Of the
constituted authorities of these
states.
we place the responsibility for
this action upon the mill manage
ments and upon these authorities.
Cites Indictment to Riot
Enemies of labor are deliberately
attempting to incite our people to
riot in the hope of discrediting this
strike. But this strike cannot be
thus discredited. That might have
been possible in other years, but
not before the enlightened public
opinion of today
A caption under a strike picture,
showing National GuardSmen at
Lyman, S. c., pointing their bay
onets at unarmed strikers, published
today by the Washington News,
confirms the traditional strike
breaking use to which the Guards
men have been put. THE success
of textile strikers in forcing one
mill at Lyman, S. c., to close down,
led to mobilization of the National
Guard to prevent a recurrence of
the situation at other plants nearby.
The soldiers are shown above as
they drove strikers back at bayonet
points from mill property where
they were seeking to induce work.
erS to leave their machines" the
explanation read.
Withdrawal of Troops Not Asked
Germans failure to call for the
withdrawal of all troops is under
Standable in the light of his die
inclination to embarrass the Roose-
welt administration, especially after
calling upon the workers to have
faith" in Roosevelt and after mi
tiating attempts to build up Roose-
Velt'S new employer ORIGINATED tex
tile inquiry" and mediation board.
Our understanding is that the
board will devote some time to
exploration of the field and that
it does not begin with a cut and
dried program" German greeted
the board announcement yesterday.
Concerning the use of the Ma
tional Guard, it is true that a gov
ernor, like the president, has the
constitutional authority to call it
into the field. However, Roosevelt
could at any time have prevented
the use of the National Guard
against strikers picketing if he so
desired. For one thing, the Ma
tional Guard is paid by the federal
government and is a part of the
presidential budget. 1t also uses
federal equipment. For another.
the domination of the Roosevelt
political machine is such that no
governor, especially southern one.
would oppose the White House.
Roosevelt Board in Action
Governor John c. Winant, of
New Hampshire, the wealthy BUSH
ness executive who is chairman of
the new Roosevelt textile inquiry
board, told the press today after
comforting with Secretary of Labor
Perkins, that the first duty of the
board, under the presidents ex-
ecutive order, "is to assemble as
quickly as possible the principle
facts bearing on the causes of the
strike" The boards report is not
due until Oct. l.
I'VE plan as rapidly as is prac-
Ilcable, 10 meet With representatives
OF the textile workers, represen-
tatives Of the employers code au-
thority members, the Cotton Textile
National Industrial Relations Board
and such other agencies and in
dividuals as may be helpful"
Not word from the presidents