Evening star., 1934-07-17
merriam SCORES
ALIEN AG|TATORS
California Governor Asserts
Radicals Have Opposed
All Settlements.
By N. Assoela.sd Press


blocking settlement Of the maritime
strike. Acting Governor Frank F Mer-
riam declared last night he would take
whatever steps necessary to serve the
general good.
From the inception Of the strike
Of longShoremen and through many
weeks OF fruitless efforts to reach a
settlement fair to all, the fact has
been evident-inCreasingly evident
that destructive and subversive inf1u-
ences have been working against an
agreement on any basis whatsoever"
he said in a radio address.
Leaders recognize such conditions.
he asserted. urging that an active and
intensified drive to rid California Of
such agitators be made by organized
labor.
Workers Handicapped.
Fully as much as the employers in
this State, the workers have been
handicapped and exploited BY known
Communists and professional agita-
tors he declared men and women
who cloak their sinister purposes
under hypoCritical appeals for human
rights, but whose actual purpose is
revolution, violent, bloody and destruc-
tive"
The States chief executive said col
lective bargaining and the right OF
workers to organize are a part of our
economic and social establishment.
but asserted such points should be set
tied peacefully by mediation and ar
| bitration.
Merriam recalled violence first oc-
CURED in San Francisco when an eff
fort was made by police to protect
moving trucks loaded with merchandise
| which had remained on the docks for
| weeks.
Cites Aliens Speech.
| He asserted an alien spoke in behalf
of striking lOngShOremen and declared
that further operation Of the State
| owned belt line railroad along the
| State-owned harbor in San Francisco
| would not be permitted" This and
violence against belt railroad crews,
he said. forced him to call out the
California National Guard.
with good will. strong hearts and
balanced judgment" he concluded,
this crisis will be brought to a quick
and satisfactory conclusion
| Following is the text of Acting Gov.
| Merriam's address:
Friends who are listening to me to-
night:
Critical and far-reaching develop
ments caused by the general strike of
workers in and around San Francisco
are of such general public importance
| IN hF1af CT ctafapnnnt q m thn
situation from me.
| Before discussing the strike situa-
| ton, however, and the events leading
up to the Walkout Of thousands OF
workers, I want to urge the necessity
for maintaining a spirit of public calm
under any and all circumstances. Or
der must be preserved. and so far as
possible every citizen must be permit
ted to go about his ordinary business.
| Ample assurance has been given me
| that the people as a whole are def
niteIy and aggreSsively supporting me
in safeguarding the rights and lives
of those living in the areas directly
| affected by the general strike.
Will Act With Vigor.
| I propose no hasty. no unjust, no
unnecessary action, but under the au-
thority vested in the Governor I shall
act with the utmost vigor and decision.
A general strike such as that now
existing in this State is far more than
dispute. between a group of en-
ployers and a group of workers. 1t
represents an effort by one group to
accomplish its purposes at the expense
of the people themselves.
| This, of course. the people cannot
endure, for regardless of sympathy for
| the interests either of one side or an
other in any dispute involving the
rights Of employer and employe, the
public interest is first and must
prevail
| Without regard to the merits origi-
nauy involved in the dispute between
striking longshoremen and shippers,
the present general strike imposes un-
deserved and intolerable hardships
upon the general population.
More, by its very nature, the general
strike challenges the authority and the
ability of government to maintain it
self, to protect the persons and the
rights Of citizens, to fulfill each and
all functions necessary to the main
tenance of law and order.
Attempt to Cut Of Food.
| There has been an interruption not
only of the usual and essential trans
action of public and private business,
but an attempt has been made-with
/ partial SucceSS-to prevent the trans
portation of food and other neceSsaries
| of life into the area where the general
strike exists.
Such overresching methods are not
only a menace to the liberties. the
lives and the well-being of the people
but are calculated to react with
marked disadvantage to the just claims
OF those in whose name they are in
yoked
Let me say here. and with such en-
phasis as I have at my command, that
1 do not regard the general strike in
this State as true reflection of the
| attitude Of the workers themselves. or
of their regular leadership.
From the inception of the strike of
| longshoremen and through many
weeks of fruitless efforts to reach a
settlement fair to all, the fact has
been evident-increasing evident
that destructive and subversive in
fuences have been working against
an agreement on any basis what
| sOever.
Average Workers Law Abiding.
This should be evident TO all, for
the average American worker is in
0ustrious, law-abiding self-respecting
| and quickly responsive to the dictates
of fair play. Had there been no out
side and alien counsels provoking dis
| trust. discord and bitterness in this
situation, a settlement would have
been reached long before this. and to
| the satisfaction of all concerned.
This unfortunate and almost un-
| believeable condition has been recog-
nized by leaders and members of or
ganized labor. In certain instances
the efforts OF radicals to dominate
labor's affairs have been formally de-
nOunced and reDudiatPd more