The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-07-25
DOOMED CATTLE,
STRIKE VICTIMS,
Die BY SCORES
800 Workers Idle, Claiming
Employers Violated
Wage Pact.
BgUnifed Press

CHICAGO. July 25.-Twenty-five
thousand head Of cattle-starved,
thristing. dying by the hundreds
waited dumbly in the Union Stock
yards today for 800 striking men
and their employers TO settle dis
pute over wages.
Thousands more Of the suffering
animals we're doomed TO death un-
less the strike is settled within
hours. All over the crowded yards
they bswled and beloved until
thirst, starvation and the torture Of
a IOO-degree sun brought death
Commission men telegraphed a
plea TO Washington for federal in
tervention and strong methods to
end the strike. regardless of its
merits.
simultaneously, more than 1000
other stockyards employees. members
of the livestock and commission
mems union. voted TO strike at 3
p. m today.
Without them and the 800 live
stock handlers already out the yards
would be left virtually unnamed.
Fifty thousand head OF govern
ment-owned cattle probably would
be unaffected. as employees Of the
Federal Surplus Relief Corporation
are not striking.
Police Stand Guard
Police we're stationed throughout
the huge maze Of pens and chutes
today to prevent a recurrence Of
attacks on white collar" workers
who attempted to feed and water the
animals last night.
A truckload of hay was over
turned and its driver beaten by
pickets who said he was a strike
breaker. employed since the walk
out yesterday.
Fire department squads stayed at
the yards all night. spraying hose
streams over the dying cattle, but
we're unable to give them water to
drink.
Members of the regional labor
board attempted to arrange a con-
ference between o. I. Henkle, gen.
eral manager of the stOckyards
company, and union leaders. They
said a meeting probably would be
held tonight.
Claim Agreement Broken
The Striking handlers charged in
their strike call that their employer
has violated wage terms of a con-
tract under which they returned to
work after a strike last winter.
In the teeming pens gunf1re
crashed sporadically throughout the
day, ending the fortunes of animals
too weak to live.
Gamt-eyed cows licked deliriously
at occasional dribbles of water
leaking into their troughs. The
bleat of sheep. dying like flies and
trampled into dust by their desper-
ate mates, sounded for blocks.
A white-faced calf. not yet sepa-
rated from its mother. bawled in
a continuous crescendo until a gov
eminent market agent sent a bullet
through its head.
The COW. braced on straddled legs
and rocking in physical weakness,
did not even glance at the fallen
form.
Girl Spectator Weeps
Hogs stood the lack of food and
water better than sheep and cattle,
but suffered terrif1cally under the
brazen sun. They lay by the thou
sands in the dust. where a Their
mometer rocketed to 100 degrees
almost as soon as it was laid down.
A stenographer from the Live
stock Exchange. drawn to the tor
ture pits by curiosity, wept openly
as she stumbled back to her office.
Commission men said most of the
animals would be sold by the time
their employees walk out this after
noon. but they saw no hope that the
new owners would be able to move
them from the yards or feed them.
There may be none left to feed
in another forty-eight hours" said
one.