The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-07-17


Other developments Of the
morning in the strike sltua-
ton we're:
The first truckload of produce to
r. ,ch San Francisco since Thurs
day, came in from Stockton, Cal,
this morning and was unloaded IN
the wholesale produce district where
militiamen stood guard. 1t marked
the first dent in the food blockade.
Street railway service was re-
sumed without the use of guards
and apparently on normal sched-
ule by the municipal railways OF
San Francisco.
Employees of the Oakland street
railway system walked out, tying up
the key system ferry on San Fran
cisco bay. Other ferries continued
to run.
Mayor w. j. McCracken of Oak
land appealed to citizens to register
at the city hall for emergency duty.
He was anticipating the coming OF
the general strike to his city, set
for 8 a. m.
Several more restaurants were
preparing to open in San Francisco
under permit from the general
strike committee, the nineteen
previously allowed to remain open
proving pitifully inadequate.
TWO hundred national guardsmen,
who moved into Oakland yesterday
went on duty on the wharves of the
outer harbor this morning, the first
active service of guardsmen in that
area.
Organize Block System
Oakland residents organized
"block system distribution of food,
under which committees in each
neighborhood will see that food sup
plies are distributed equally.
The teamsters union in Oakland
was providing convoy and safe
passage for a limited number of
food delivery trucks.
Police reports showed twenty-four
arrests yesterday afternoon and last
night for strike offenses-refusing to
move on when ordered, disturbing
the peace and the like. There we're
few cases of men being beaten and
of intimidation, but nothing of
major Importance.
Heavy pressure was being brought
upon Governor Frank M. Merriam
to replace civil government, desper-
ately striving to cope with situation
growing more serious by the mo-
ment, with martial law.
1000 Troops in City
Looking forward to the first
critical day. San Francisco spent
an uncomfortable but reasonably
quiet night.
Soldiers, in full field equipment,
stood guard over the wholesale dis
trict and the Embarcadero. Bar
ricades and machine gun emplace-
ments blocked streets in that area.
Light artillery and even few
tanks were held in reserve.
More than 1000 troops were in
the city. They occupied only
fraction of the city's area, but
their presence was alike dramatic
and effective.
Strict military rule was in force
in the occupied area. Only prop
erly certified passes would let any
one through the sentry lines. Scores
of citizens found themselves chal-
lenged by khaki-clad men with
convincing bayonets.
All of the California national
guard is under arms, and more
than two-thirds of it is on actual
duty. Before night it was believed
most of the remainder will have
received its orders.
Governor Merriam met the pres
sure for NATAL law with assurances
that he was prepared to act, with
out hesitation, the moment he was
convinced the situation demanded
it. He received reports constantly.
His national guard officers ma
neuvered their troops so that they
could take over the entire city Of
San Francisco within an hour after
receiving the order.
Few People on Streets
The same preparations were made
regarding the east bay communities.
The One Hundred and Forty-Third
Field artillery and some additional
troops we're in reserve there.
San Francisco was strange
sight during the night. Lights in
restaurants, on movie theaters and
many shops were out, giving the
feeling that the city was in darkness
although it was far from that.
Throngs we're around the nine
teen restaurants permitted by the
strike committee to remain open,
until late in the evening. These