Evening star., 1937-06-02
OPERATION PUSHED.
BY STEEL PLANT
Republic, at Youngstown,
Claims ,O81 Workers on
Job-ChiCago Prepared.
BACKGROUND

JUU SIiiOdSO ICP0l GU
BACKGROUND
Steel strikes began Week ago
in seuen States and uere marked
By riotino in South Chicago Sun
day in Which sir Dere killed and
scores rounded or arrested. John
L. Le,Dis, Whose C. I. O. influence
is resisted BY steel officials, charged
that the Republic Corp. and police
Uere guilty OF planned murder"
ey the Associated Press.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio, June q
Militant labor forces and unyielding
steel corporations faced new tests of
strength today as Republic Steel Corp.
pushed ahead with plans to produce
steel in spite of the strike.
Republics high command promised
not to ask idle men ito wade through
blood and scoffed at reports that
tightened picket lines would impede
shipment of manufactured steel.
1t also disclosed that arms and
munitions were stored in plants OF
the Nations third-largest producer
for protection of property and work.
men" and went forward with extraor-
dinary efforts to move food to be-
leaguered workers by airplane.
C. NJ White, Republic vice presi-
dent in charge of operations. claimed
the corporation was shipping from
1000 to 5000 tons of steel each day
and added lit would be tough job
tor any outside organizers to come be-
tween Republic and its men"
2l,OSl Still Working.
He said 2l.O8l of 5O,07l Republic
employees still were working in face
of heavy picket lines at units in
Chicago, Buffalo, Canton, Warren and
Niles, Ohio.
Western and Eastern sectors of the
widespread strike front were reported
comparatively quiet, although Chi
cago had large reserve force ready
to move on any recurrence of Sundays
rioting, which cost six lives.
The mob consisted Overwhelmingly
Of imported pickets and out-of-State
aetators and Communists" Republic
declared in statement. Leaders
OF John L. Lewis Steel Workers Or
ranizing Committee went into period
Of verbal quiet after Lewis declara-
ton that Republic and the police were
guilty Of planned murder
Tons of food, White claimed, were
being landed at the Warren plant by
plane daily, despite reported sniping
Of pilots by gunfire. He added that
company officials were having great
difficulty restraining some 1000 men
n the mills from going out to clash
with the picket lines.
FIoodlights Set Up.
Floodlights were set up around the
Warren property. A high fence bar
ricade was built across a spur track
Leading into the mill. Restless pickets
paced outside, meanwhile, to enforce
the C. I. o. units demands for signed
contracts from three major producers.
Tom Girdler, 60-year-old pipe
smoking board chairman of Republic,
presiding in Cleveland at his first
strike press conference, while steel
pickets tramped the sidewalks Is floors
below, told newsmen he had never
;een John L. Lewis, militant union
leader, adding "and hope never dc" 4"
A suit filed in a Cleveland court by
Republic stockholder demanding an
accounting for corporation funds
spent for arms and ammunition
prompted Girdlers interviewers to ask
tor an explanation.
Il never knew steel plant that
didn't have guns" said Girdler. I'VE
have to protect our property and our
workmen." He explained that only
the company guards, not the employees,
were armed, and asserted that many
manufacturing plants had acquired
arms for protection purposes
Girdler indicated to his intervieWers
that every avenue of negotiation and
peace in the strike-bound portion of
the industry, in which at least 72,O00
were idle, was not definitely closed.
Only Contract Considered.
Discussing Republics refusal to
sign a collective bargaining agree
ment with the c. I. o. Steel Workers
Organizing Committee, acknowledging
the committee as spokesmen for all
its members OF Republics pay roll,
Girdler said:
The only contract We have been
asked to sign is the same as the
Carnegle-1lllnois Steel agreement.
Don't ask me about any other kind
OF a contract. We will cross that
bridge when We come to it,"
Reports that efforts were being
made to call an unauthorized strike
in the Lowellville, Ohio, plant of the
Sharon Steel Corp. brought the con-
Germs workers this order from S. w.
O. c. Regional Director John Mayo:
III anybody tries to stop you from
keeping at work in that plant take a
club to them. No union man is doing
this. Union men live up to their
agreements.
The S. w. 0. c. won exclusive bar
gaining rights in a National Labor
Relations Board election last week
among Sharon Steels $500 workers.
Meanwhile, return to work" cir
eular, signed by the "Independent
Society of Workers." made its ap-
pearance IN Youngstown, at variance
with a statement by the head of a
leading anti-C. I. o. employees group
At the closed Youngstown Sheet &
Tube plants that no attempt to 20
back to the mills was contemplated.
Sheet IL Tube and Inland Steel Corp.
third independent producer involved,
are making no attempt to operate
their plants.