Evening star., 1937-06-20

after a 9 o'clock conference with
Lewis and Murray.
Asked whether he would try to
bring the two parties together, Chair
man Taft said:
We'll have to wait and see what
develops Monday morning."
Taft and Lloyd K. Garrison. who
with Edward F. McGrady completes
| the Mediation Board, Cancelled speak
ing engagements to take part in the
conferences.
This would be the first time princi-
pals in the seven-State battle Of
Steel have come together.
Agrees to Cancel "Invasion.-
Lewis agreed to cancel the miners
mass invasion n"-calculated to en-
courage c. I. o. steel strikers in the
24-day-old battle over the question
of signed labor contracts-upon re-
ceipt of telegraphic request by Gov.
Earle asking him to call it of in
the interest Of public peace"
Gov. Earle proclaimed modified
form" OF martial law In the Johns
town strike area yesterday after re-
tusal by Grace to heed the Governor S
demand for temporary shutdown
of the big Cambria works 'to preserve
peace and avoid bloodshed."
Gov. Earle explained the modified
form" OF martial law included the
States taking over policing, disarming &
Of vigilantes and the closing uf plants
Col. JaneWay, acting under the Gov
ernors proclamation, formally took
over police duties of Cambria early
last night.
Col. Janeway said Mayor Daniel j.
Shields of Johnstown agreed to CO.
operate with him and had decided not
to send his city police home as he
earlier had asserted he would if
Janeway took charge.
One OF Col. Janeway's first acts
was to notify Mayor Shields to direct
city police to dlsarm and disband all
special police and vigilantes. State
police and highway patrolmen will
take up their duties.
Sent to Prevent Riots.
Janeway said he had been directed
to come here for the basic reason
Of preventing riots, insurrection and
bloodshed"
1T is not my intention to disrupt
normal routine Of affairs any more
than necessary" he added. "All nor
NAL functions will be permitted to
continue as long as they do so without
disorder"
Gov. Earle ordered the immediate
shutdown of the Cambria works, de-
spite Graces protest that such action
would involve admission that
the forces of law of the Commonwealth
Of Pennsylvania are powerless to pro-
tect our men in the exercise Of their
rights to work"
Before Lewis move in calling of
the march OF 10000 miners on Johns
town, Gov. Earle had declared:
workers in the plant will be evac-
uated. If they remained there 1t
might mean a terrible massacre, and
I'm not going to take a chance"
President Grace countered the Gov
ernor's order for shutdown of the
mills with fiat refusal to do 50
voluntarily"
Possible Solution Seen.
The dramatic eleventh-hour turn In
events, launched by Lewis twin steps
in calling off the Johnstown mass
meeting and agreeing to meet with
the Mediation Board, heralded a pos
sible solution to the multi-million-
dollar controversy which has claimed
II lives and set more than 100000
men idle in the Great Lakes region.
There still remained, however, the
prime stumbling block Of signed con-
tracts. with little steel" spokesmen
insisting they would not submit to the
c. I. o. demand.
Earlier yesterday, the razor-edge
atmosphere in Johnstown, scene of
the great flood Of 1889, was sharply
emphasized in new telegraphic ap-
peal by Mayor Shields to President
Roosevelt.
THE crisis" he warned the Presi-
dent, has boiled to a point where con-
tlnuance OF the c. I. o. in Johnstown
"can only mean bloodshed in our
streets"
In an attack on the union forces.
Shields declared, Rule or ruin, con-
troll or murder, is the policy Of the
c. I. o." and he begged the Nations
Chief Executive:
Are you going to fail me by allow
ing this reign Of terror to continue?"
Troops Only II Needed.
Gov. Earle said he would not send
troops into the city unless they are
needed.
Already on duty, force Of 500 State
police and highway patrol officers kept
guard meanwhile on the 7-mile front