The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-01-12

and home made weapons, still oc- cupied the plant and controlled it's gates. The streets. through which more than 500 persons thronged un- til almost dawn, were clear.
 Company Leaders Confer
 General Motors executives held an early morning conference in Detroit attended by William s. Knudsen, executive vice president, M. E. Coyle, president of the Chevrolet division and Lawrence Fisher, head of the Fisher Body division, They issued this statement regarding the fight:
 General Motors officials ex- pressed regret and said they were waiting for accurate information on what happened
 Murphy, standing in a hotel room with blanket around his shoulders, revealed he had mobilized troops and police at the request of Mayor Harold E. Bradshaw of Flint and Sheriff Thomas W. Wolcott.
 This is not going to be brawl," he said.
 After his announcement he re- turn to Lansing, the capital.
 Sate Not Taking Sides
 "State authorities under no con- ditions are going to take sides in this controversy" Murphy asserted "They will be brought here to pro- tect public interest and aid in the preservation of peace and order and fOr m nfher Y1iIrrOGpn
 No effort will be made for the present to remove sit-down strikers from the Fisher Body plants, he said, but we may know more about that in 30 or 40 hours.
 Murphy was asked about the bar ricade of automobiles the strikers had established fin the Flint streets last night, and he replied that the state would not countenance any one seizing public property.
 "Whateyer else may happen" he added, there is going to be law and order in Michigan. The public in- terest and the public safety are paramount. The public authority in Michigan is stronger than either of the parties in the present controv- ersy. Neither of them by recourse to force or violence will be per- mitted to add public terror to the existing economic demoralizaion.
 Gone Beyond Control
 "A serious Tot mas occurred. The local police evidently are inadequate to handle the situation and preserve order. Without wishing to countc- nance the unlawful seizure of pri- vate property. the state has hereto fore refrained from taking strong measures in the hope that an am- icable settlement might be reached.
 Tt is apparent however that the situation in Flint has gotten beyond control of the local authorities and leaders of the two factions.
 Having been 50 advised and re- quested by the responsible local of- ficials, it has become the duty of the state (and it is prepared) to act in the presen emergency for the main tenance of public order and the pro- lection of the rights of private prop erty.
 T am accordingly ordering state police and units of the national guards to be in readiness.
 National Guard Stands By
 While strikers and their sympa- thizers pressed against police lines and "sit-down" strikers remained in triumphant possession of the plant, the Flint national guard company, presumably on the order of Gov. Murphy, began mobilizing and all state police were ordered to stand by for assignment here.
 There was no indication that Murphy planned to proclaim mar tal law.
 The fight began when strikers on the outside tried to carry food into the approximately 450 "sit-down" strikers who have occupied the plant since Dec. 31. The company had turned off the heat and had de- cided to stop the provisioning of the strikers, in an effort to force them to leave the plant.
 An emergency operation was per- lOlHiCu Gally todny oA AS0AA A~St~sDi 22, wounded critically in the abdo- men. He was the only one of the injured men struck by bullet. Most of the others were wounded by fragments from tear gas projecttlea fired by Flint police.
 VIII Arrest Injured
 Police said they would arrest all of the injured strikers as soon aa they recovered. Two who had only minor hurts already have been taken to Jail, according to police. Strikers, armed with weapons, re- sembling brass knucklcs fashioned out of plumbers equipment, held the plant and controlled it's gates A United Press correspondent. ad- mitted to the plant. was greeted by men carrying Quarter-staycs. home made blackjac!g ana other weapons The strikes pointed out bullet holci in the windows.
 General Motors executives con