The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-06-12
STEEL WORKERS MASS MEETING.
City Officials of Monroe, Mich., May Have to Act
 Without Troops
By HARRIS COATES United Press Staff Correspondent

'
 Monroe, Mich, June 12.-CUP)- City officials announced today that they would handle Sundays mass meeting of c. l. O. adherents from three states 'in their own way" with hundreds of special policemen, if Gov. Frank Murphy rejects their de- mand for the national guard.
 Gov. Murphy, in Detroit, made no direct response to the demand made by Mayor Daniel A. Knaggs and the city council, but Mayor Knaggs an- nounced that he, Murphy, and Homer Martin, president of the United Automobile Workers, would confer today in Detroit over ar arrangements for the mass meeting which officials feared would precipf- tate new violence.
 May Draw Thousands
 The mass meeting called by Mar tin, was expected to draw thousands of unionists from Michigan, Ohio and Indiana cities.
 It was called as a protest demon- stration against the gassing of c. I. O. pickets by special police when the Newton Steel Mill was reopened Thursday night. Martin and Chair man Philip Murray of the Steel Workers Organizing committee were scheduled as the principal speakers.
 Shortly after the meeting was an- nounced, the commission council backed up Mayor Knaggs in serving on Murphy a formal demand" that he send in the militia "for the pro- lection of citizens" Its resolution said local feeling is intense and danger of bloodshed imminent"
 Knaggs questioned "the wisdom" of holding such meeting at this time, but felt city authorities should not forbid it because i've in Monroe believe in free speech and free as- semblage." He was increasingly in- sistent, however, that the governor should act.
 May Not Control Them
 "There is considerable doubt about Martin being able to control his union members" he said.
 Martin dissuaded members of his union in Pontiac from moving en maSse into Monroe a few hours after the riot at the Newton mill. His an- nouncement of the mass meeting Sunday was viewed as an invitation for followers in all the surrounding automotive centers to move into this city.
 Officials here felt they had to keep in mind the possibility that if militiamen were not on hand, the outside unionists might attempt to regain possession of the entrance to the steel plant.
 Many of the 800 or more men now at work in the plant, which normal ly employed 1850, apparently had some such contingency in mind too. Men in four automobiles observed entering the mill at change in shifts, were carrying rifles. A relia- ble person who had been in the plant said T saw so many guns my head is swimming"
 Mayor Works on Nerve Working "on his nerve" after sleepless nights, the mayor had the UdChulS u cA-ScI cIV4CGIllc1l. 4IlC tcU@ erans of Foreign Wars and mem bers of the American Legion had wired pleas for troops to the gov- ernor. Heads of both groups assured the mayor of their support in any plan he drafted to cope with the crowd tomorrow.
 T sincerely believe that state troops are needed, the mayor said.
 '"The steel mill must keep run ming. I've pledged myself to that goal and am ready for finish fight with the cooperation of citizens whose services were so valuable earlier this week."
 Although only few of the 500 deputized vigilantes were in evidence today, the entire force was kept on call. The mayor himself carried billy club in his coat pocket. Rein forcements were available, but there were no estimates as to the number of citizen-police this town of 10000 could muster.
 Commander Karl Obernacher of the Monroe Veterans of Foreign Wars post telegraphed Murphy, crit icizing the governor for his hands off policy"