Evening star., 1937-02-21
GOV.HORNERFA|LS
TO ACHIEVE TRUCE
lntercedes in Illinois Strike,
With Sit-DoWners Eager
to Settle Dispute.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
First major United States sit
dopn strike tD1S conducted in
plants OF General Motors Corp.
during January and into February,
until truce WaS signed bettUeen
G.. NJ. c. and representatives OF
United Automobile Workers OF
America.
There tollolUed mare OF Sit-dotUn
strikes, big and little, many OF
them in industries akin to auto
mobile. Latest WdS in F1nSteel
Metallurgical plant at Waukegan,
Ill.,, this neck Company refused
to make peace until strikers 1Uere
evacuated. Oficers dispatched
under court order to JORGE workers
out mere repulsed by acid hurting.
BY the Associated Press.
WAUKEGAN. Ill, February 90
Gov. Henry Horner interceded to-
night in peace negotiations of the
four -day-old "sit down" strike at two
Fansteel Metallurgical Corp. plants in
North Chicago, but failed in an at
tempt to bring employe and company
officials together at conference.
. Meanwhile, Martin P. Durkin, State
labor director, pronounced the situ-
alton the most serious since 80
workers took up their posts behind
nailed doors of the company's fac
tories. He said there was little hope
of immediate settlement of the dis
pute.
Through Durkin the Governor to-
night invited the strikers to form
a committee and meet with him at
the State Capital tomorrow. Durkin
said the strikers adgeed to the plan,
provided the committee members were
not arrested when they left the plant
and held on contempt of court charges
pending against them. Durkin said he
gave them that guarantee.
Company Declines Offer.
From the plant Durkin went to
corporation headquarters and sub
Anitted the proposal to company
officials, but President Robert j..
Aitchison declined to attend the meet
ing, saying the situation at the plant
twas so tense he could not leave.
Gov. Horner announced Immediately
from his executive mansion at Spring.
field that the conference was called
off" He said he had no further plans
for negotiations, but would keep in
constant touch with the strike. He
said the possibility he would go to
North Chicago to take personal charge
of the dispute was remote"
Later AitchiSon said he desired to
reconsider his refusal, and conferred
again at length with Durkin. After
the meeting he said he had been given
no assurance the conference would
not be attended by what he referred
to as professional outside" labor
agitators, and that unless he had that
assurance he would not attend.
Reminds Horner of Duty.
Unable to reach Gov. Horner by tele-
phone, he telegrs phed him he was
ready to meet with committee con-
sisting solely of strikers. Then his
wire turned to law enforcement, and
he asked; will the court order for
the restoration of the company's plant
be enforced by State and county
officers? The question confronting
you as Governor is whether the duly
constituted authorities can and will
enforce the laws"
After receiving the telegram, Gov.
Horner notified Durkin to extend a
second invitation to the conference
Tor pm. tomorrow. He did not
specify who should attend the meet
ing, but said the strikers and COM
pany officials could choose any one
they desired to represent them. Aitchi-
son could not be reached for comment.
, At Springfield the Governor said,
,"We have had industrial peace in
Illinois for several months, and the
purpose of this conference is to re-
store it."
When Durkin visited the strike
bound plants, where the workers have
def1ed a court order directing their
election, he was accompanied by
Robert Pilkington and John O'Connor,
Federal conciliators, and Patrick Cul-
len and A. L. McInerney Of the Illinois
labor department. They stated their
purpose, barricaded door was un-
1e tched and swung open and they were
permitted to step inside.
They presented their plan to Carl
Swanson, spokesman for the strikers
and secretary of Local 66 Of the
Amalgamated Association of Iron,
Steel and Tin Workers. He conferred
with the other sit-downers and an
nounced their decision.
Deputies armed with clubs and base
ball bats patrolled the grounds outside
the beleagured buildings, but made no
move for a new raid on the workers
>strongholds.
President R. J. Aitchison declared
the management would not open ne
~gotiations until the "sit-downers" va
Gated the company's property and
would not deal with Committee for
Industrial Organization leaders under
any circumstances.
The sheriff's attempts to enforce
the court order was repulsed by acid
throwing and violence" his statement
said in part. Sheriff Doolittle has
advised the Governor of his inability
to cope with the situation and has re-
quested State assistance We have
advised Mr.. Durkin Estate Labor Di-
rector Martin P. Durkin) action by
Gov. Horner is essential. The matter
OF law enforcement is now squarely be- !
fore the authorities of State and
county"
May Drive Strikers Out.
Company Attorney Max Swiren as
serted the corporation might be forced
TO drive the "sit-downers" from the
Buildings if law agencies failed to act. |
: Attorney Joseph Jacobs quickly |
Assued counter-statement in behalf |
OF the c. I. o. organizers on the |
scene - Meyer Adelman and Leo
sKrzycki. 1t held Lodge Sc of the
Amalgamated Association of Iron,
Steel and Tin Workers, the strikers
union, has always been ready to con-
fer with company representatives in
efforts to adjust the present I'M