The Washington times., 1937-01-25
NEW SIT-D0WN
THREAT AIMED
AT FLINT
Militia Tightens Belt
As Union Leaders
HurI Defiance
CONTINUED from Page II

NOUHtlHucu ITUHl 4 age ~
strikes started-threats of new sit
down strikes were hurled. More
than 1000 National Guardsmen
tightened their vigilance.
At dawn here, organizers for
the United Auto workers Union,
operating in sound trucks. mar
shaled picket lines 1000 strong
on the icy streets before the Cad
lilac and Fleetwood plants.
Pickets Form Lines
Striking Cadillac workers here
resorted to "chain,step" picketing
this morning to bar employees and
executives from entering the COM
panys administration building.
Police, armed with riot guns,
stood by as hundreds of pickets
marched up and down in long
line, hands on shoulders in lock
step fashion. Other strikers
watched from vantage points.
It was the first time picketing
had been directed against office
workers.
Picket Lines Rushed
Later, police wedged an opening
through picket lines and so office
workers rushed into the plant.
About 100 other workers remained
on the opposite side of the street.
In Flint, an equal number dem
onstrated their strength" at the
two Fisher Body plants. Richard
T. Frankenstein, U. A. w. organ
izer here said:
"We're going to make sure
General Motors doesn't try to
open any plants closed by
strikes"
NEW THREATS MADE
Victor Reuther, Flint strike
commander, went further, as Gen
eral Motors prepared to start its
back to work" movement for non
striking employees. He said:
"There is no strike yet in
Buick and Chevrolet. We will
establish no picket lines there,
but we will call sit.dOwn strikes
there If necessary to bring Gen
eral Motors into line"
Lewis Gets Warning
On the other side of a potential
battlefield,s non-striking General
Motors workers here telegraphed
a sharp warning to John L. Lewis.
strike strategist in Washington.
The wire stated workers families
are beginning to feel actual priva-
tions" and concluded with these
omiuous words:
IS. We will not be re-
spOnsibIe for what may occur
in the very near future"
Meanwhile on the strategic
fronts, labor leaders accepted the
Invitation" of Secretary of Labor
Perkins to meet with her again to
discuss settlement of the General
Motors strike which have left
more than 100000 auto workers
jobleSs in the nation.
Union RapS Alliance
The Flint alliance, non-Strike Or
eanization, which has remained in
the background since Governor
Frank Murphy's blunt hint, reap
peared as a target of new union
attack today. After ex-M ayor
George Boysen. head of the al
lance, called a mass meeting to-
morrow, to outline a program Of
legal action" against the strike,
Powers Hapgood, C. I. o. repre-
sentative in Flint, warned:
"If the alliance program in
cludes any attempt to eject the
sit-dOWn strikers from the two
Fisher Body plants, we will re-
Sist it more vigorously than we
did when they tried to empty
this plant here Monday night
two weeks ago."
The warning to Lewis, head of
the Committee for Industrial Or
ganization, came from a works
council, claiming to represent
10000 workers at Chevrolet gear
and axle here.
Lewis Policy Scored
The telegram said in part:
I'VE are bitterly opposed to
your StrOng-arm methods, radi-
cal ideas and open disregard of
the laws of our country, and the
principles. of. minority. rule
which you have demonstrated.
So far, we have tolerated it and
voiced our diSapprOval through
lawful and peaceful measures.
We have arrived at the point
where the families of our work
ers are beginning to feel actual
privatiOnS and warning you that
unless some effort on your part
is made to settle the controversy
we will not be responsible for
what may occur in the very near
future"
Governor Murphy did not know
whether he would be able to at
tend the new washington peace
conference.
For the first time, strike COM
manders brought their forces to
General Motors headquarters Sun
day. An estimated 1900 pickets,
marching four abreast, paraded
before the General Motors Build