Imperial Valley press., 1935-07-23
BY ALLEN c. DIBBLE
United Press Staff Correspond


The Indiana national guarc
rained tear gas bombs on unior.
pickets today in a spectacular at
tempt to break the backbone of a
general strike that holds Terre
Haute in its paralyzing grip.
When the acrid fumes of the
gas had rolled away the strikers
had retreated but they jeered their
defiance and refused to surrender
their cause.
The clash between troops and
pickets occurred at the Columbian
Enameling and Stamping company.
focal point of the sympathy strike
that began at a. m. yesterday
and which still was in full swing
today despite the declaration of
martial law.
A strike at the Columbian plant
began last March and since then
numerous cases of violence have
developed. When the company i'm
ported guards and threatened TO
resume operations with imported
labor the general sympathy walk
out was precipitated. The issue
was the closed shop which the Col
umbian company refused to sane
ton.
AT dawn today there were ap-
proXimately 1000 pickets mobilized
about the plant, one of many fact
orieS in this industrial center. The
national guard was ordered to dis
perse the pickets under the martial
law ruling prohibiting assemblages.
There were shouts of scorn from
the pickets and answering taunts
from the troops as they were ord
cred to unlimber their tear gas
bombs. The pickets retreated in
orderly fashion before the bitter
fumes.
Want No Bloodshed
I'VE withdrew because we didn't
want any bloodshed." said L. G.
Brown, president Of the enameling
and stamping union But We
aren't going to give up until they
take those guards away from the
plant"
This answering adherence to
the original cause of the strike en-
phasized the difficulties that con-
fronted federal arbitrators who
moved into solve the labor puzzle
that has brought suffering and in
convenience to thousands of dis
interested residents.
The general strike has paralyzed
the normal functions of the city,
which is without taxicabs, trolley
cars. ice. milk. gasoline and fresh
meat. Even the Morning Terre
Haute Star was throttled, afraid to
publish in the face of threats from
organized labor.
Brig. Gen. D. Wray dc PREF said
he was not sent into the affected
area to break the strike but only
/ to preserve order, prevent unlaW-
ful aSsemblages and permit opera
tions of such businesses and indus
tries as wish to reopen. To these
businesses he promised full protec-
ton.
But despite this assurance it ap-
peared doubtful that many stores
would open to ease the increasing
need for food 1t was pointed out
that the businessmen could oper-
ate effectively only with the help
Of their employees and there SEEM
ed small likelihood OF any concert
ed back to work" movement
among the unions until their cause
is won or conciliation is effected.
The Rickets permitted represent
atives of hospitals and families
with infants to call at dairies and
obtain milk but regular deliveries
still we're prevented.
Although promised national
guard protection for trolley cars. Of
ficials of the surface line said they
were not interested in attempting
to operate their cars or buses with
non-union labor and would let the
public get about as best it could
until the strike is settled
The dominating factor in the
tense situation seemed to be the
huge majority Of union laborers in
this community. Businessmen hes
itated to defy the general sympathy
strike.
Estimates Of the number on strike
ranged as high as $1,000 inclJd ug
thousands Of miners in shafts
throughout Vigo county. Terre
Haute itself is city of $4,000.