Evening star., 1937-01-29
G.M.C.D|SCHARGES
STRIKERS IN COURT
PLEA FOR EVICTION
"Sit.DoWners" No Longer
Are Employees, Petition for
Injunction Says.
HEARING SCHEDULED
MONDAY AT 2 Pm.
Firing" of Men Holding Plantc
Raises Issue Likely to Com
plicate Negotiations.
b the Associated Press.

By the Associated SteSS.
DETROIT, January "a petition
seeking a court order for eviction Of
"sit-down" strikers from two Fisher
body plants at Flint, Mich, revealed
today that General Motors Corp. no
longer considers the men to be en-
ployes.
Roy BrowneI, Flint attorney for
General Motors, filed the petition with
Circuit Judge Paul v. Gadola Of Gene
see County Flint) late yesterday. 1t
requested an injunction prohibiting
the strikers from continuing to occupy
the plants they held since Decem-
ber 80.
The court directed the United Au-
tomobile Workers Of America, which
called the strikes that have crippled
operations of General Motors, to show
cause why an injunction should not
be granted at hearing Monday al
2 pm, Eastern standard time.
NO Longer Empt0yeS.
The bill of complaint with the in
junction petition referred to the "sit-
down" strikers as former employees"
and said they are no longer employees
of the plaintiff and have no right to
remain on the premises"
Evacuation of the strikers has been
demanded by General Motors before
it would meet with the union to settle
the widespread strikes. However,
should this be accomplished through
the asked-for court order, negotiators
might be confronted by a new issue.
u. A. w. A. leaders have said they
would protest alleged discrimination
against union members. and one Of the
eight points they seek to negotiate
with the corporation demands rein
statement of all employees "unjustly
dismissed" They indicated that this
would apply to the discharge Of the
strikers.
Status Of Others Unreyealed.
Until the Injunction petition was
filed General Motors had given no In
dication that it no longer regarded
"sit-downers" as employees. Whether
the corporation holds the same view
toward strikers who have not re-
manned on company property and
"sit-downers" who have vacated three
other plants could not be learned.
Agents representing three branches
of the Federal Government were in
vestigating phases Of the prolonged
labor dispute.
The Department Of Justice assigned
operatives of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation to ascertain whether
strike breakers were sent across State
lines to the scene Of a strike at the
corporations guide lamp plant at
Anderson, Ind.
The La Toilette Civil Liberties Com
mittee, which has had representatives
at Flint for a fortnight. ordered a
Senate agent to Anderson to investi-
gate union allegations that striker
there were victims OF violence.
Raids to Be Probed.
Secretary Of Labor Perkins dis
patched representative to Anderson
also, under instructions to determine
whether General Motors instigateo
raids on a union meeting and the U.
A. W. A. headquarters there, as al
legged by strike leaders. Miss Perkins
said the Labor Department agent
would visit other General Motor.
strike zones as well.
The Labor Secretary said she woul,
continue to converse with leaders o.
both sides, and she remained hope
full" for a settlement.
Harry r. Baldwin, Anderson Mayor.
sent Miss Perkins q denial Of allega-
tions made by Ed Hall, second vice
president of the u. A. w. A., that po-
lice held a striker and beat him dur
ing q recent disturbance. Mayor Bald
win said officers protected union lead
ers and conducted them to safety.
He blamed the trouble on outside or
ganizers."
Differences between Gov. Frank
Murphy Of Michigan and the Flint Al
lance continued.
The Governor declined yesterday to
(See g. M. C., Page A-2.)