The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-01-20
MARTIAL Law
DECREEDFOR
TWO COUNTIES
PiCkets and Strike Breakers
Clash in Shirt Plant
Labor Dispute.
M'NUTT ACTS QUICKLY
JefferSonville Included in
Decree, Covering Clark
and Floyd.

Six hundred Indiana National
Guardsmen converged on New Al
bany and JefferSonville this after
noon after declaration of martial
law by Gov. McNutt. The order fol-
lowed an outbreak in New Albany
as a result of the strike at the M.
Fine & Sons shirt firm.
Troops were ordered to the area
at the request of law enforcement
authorities of the cities and Floyd
and Clark Counties. The strike has
been underway several months. To-
days outbreak occurred between
union sympathizers and non-union
workers.
Within few minutes after the
Governor signed the proclamation,
the indianapolis units of the Guard,
including field artillery section,
modified at the militia's headquar-
tiers on S. Pennsylvania st.
Women Reported Beaten
New Albany police officials were
reported to have informed Adit.
Gen. Elmer F. Straub and other
state officers that a force of so spe-
cial deputies was unable to quell the
outbreak today in which women
were reported beaten with clubs and
struck by rocks.
The proclamation, which was to
be flown to New Albany this after
noon by Lieut. Edward w. Masch-
meyer, is effective at p. m.
The writ sets out that no one will
be privileged to carry weapons ex-
cept Guardsmen and police officers
and that all attempts at gatherings
in the area Immediately will be
broken up.
Col. Fechtman in Charge
Adpt. Gen. Straub named Col Paul
Fechtman in charge of the Guard
at the scene, although he expected
to fly to the area within a few
hours. Col. Fechtman has been in
the vicinity for several days, acting
as an observer for the National
Guard. Details of the situation we're
given Gen. Straub by Col. Fecht-
man but the former declined to
make the information public.
In addition to the Indianapolis
unit, other companies were modified
in Martinsville, Darlington, Terre
Haute, Shelbyville and Princeton.
The MartinSville unit was one of
the first prepared to go to the south
ern Indiana cities and one of its
requisition requests was for 40 pairs
Of gloves.
City Officers Included
indianapolis officers assigned to
the strike zone include Capt. Howard
Bates, Lieuts. Lindley A. Penny
packer, William Weimer and Carl
Helphenstine and Lieut.. Col. Man.
ford G. Henley.
Troops are to be quartered in the
Guard Armory at New Albany.
Reopening of the shirt factory
with non-union labor, after strike
of several months, precipitated to-
days violence, it was said
The Jeffersonville branch of the
company is said to have opened this
morning without violence.
John Hibstenberg, Jeffersonville
pOIICe CIlIeI, COlQ union strikers that
so long as pickets did not interfere
with employees entering the plant
there would be no official action.
Bargaining for Closed Shop
According to company officials at
Jefersonville, so of their 291 en-
ployes agreed 10 return to work at
a per cent pay reduction. Since
the strike began several months ago.
the remainder have joined the gar
ment workers union and refuse to
return without union recognition, it
is said.
The New Albany union has been
bargaining for closed shop con-
tract, but never has preferred
charges with the local National La
Dor Relations Board, Robert H. Cow
drill, director, said.
Mr.. Cowdrill said that although
Department of Labor mediators, in
Guiding Robert c. Fox, Indianapolis,
have been in New Albany during
the last two months, that the union
has not asked assistance of the
board.
Martial law still is in force in Sui
Ivan County and Terre Haute,
where labor disturbances in the last
few months brought continuation Of
National Guard surveillance.