The times-news., 1937-06-21
DECREEPAVES
Way FOR WORK
AT Two PLANTS
Marine, Coal, Auto Unions
May Yet Strike to Aid
Steel Men
TRUCKMEN STRIKE
AFTER RIOT DEATH

WARREN, Ohio, June u.
(UP)-The Republic Steel cor
poration today won court re-
straining order restraining strike
pickets from arming, obstructing
the streets or interfering with
the movements Of materials in or
out of the plant or damaging COM
pany property.
The court order was generally
believed to indicate plans to re-
open the struck plants at Warren
and Niles shortly.
Van A. Bittner, regional direc-
tor of the Steel Workers Organic
ing Committee. threatened yestcr-
day that 100000 United Mine
Workers of America would be
called out II necessary to rein-
force the strike against four inde-
pendent steel companies.
Bittner hurled his challenge I'm a
speech before labor mass meet
ing in Cleveland as the Federal
Steel mediation board prepared to
meet today with union and COM
pany leaders i'm search OF a peace
full solution Of the seven-state
strike.
IL can tell you" Bitner shouted.
that the 100000 United Mine
Workers will be called ont on
strike unless Tom Girdler tRepub-
lie Steel's chairman) meets our
terms"
Asserting 1--WE haven't started tn
strike yet" the S. w. o. G. direc-
tor said the United Automobile
Workers will refuse to use scab
steel" before they will sec the
steel strike lost.
Chief hopes Of the three-man
board headed by Charles p. Taft
III, centered I'm conferences here
today with leaders OF the John l..
Lewis Committee for Industrial
Organization and with executives
of four independent steel compa-
MES in the seven-state strike.
AS the leaders converged In
Cleveland the strike-front remain
ed tense after a series OF weekend
developments Indicating the need
for a quick sediment TO prevent
further violence. Developments in
cluded:
A three-hOur riot outside Repub-
lie Steel Corporations plant at
Youngstown where tear gas. bull
lets and rocks killed two pickets
and injured 30 others. A sympa-
thy strike of 1,S00 truck drivers
was called to protest police tac-
tics in the riot. City officials or
dered all pickets disarmed OF clubs
and other weapons.
Bethlehem Steel Corp. closed It's
big Johnstown. Pa. plant after
Governor George Earle sent state
troops To the scene with orders to
prevent bloodshed and ordered
shut down of the plant which has
a daily payroll OF about 100000.
The shutdown was made effective
Sunday. Governor Earle announc-
ed that solution of the Bethlehem
strike had been placed In the
hands OF the mediation board. The
strike leaders meanwhile threat
ened that Bethlehem might have
trouble at it's other big plants.
The possibility that the strike
would be spread to industries out
side OF steel has been frequently
indicated, but Lewis has never de-
clared he would take such a step
II necessary.
The captive coal mines OF steel
companies already have been shut
down IN an effort to cut on their
fuel supply. Bittner said maritime
unions on the Great Lakes could
shut of the steel ore supplies at
any moment. The CIO has been
seeking to organize workers In the
steel company's ore mines.
Homer Martin, president OF the
Automobile Workers. has advised
Lewis that his men will refuse TO
handle steel from struck compa-
nies II the strike is not settled
soon. The United Rubber Workers
have promised aid to the steel
strikers.