The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-04-12
LABOR UNIONS
 IN RIOT BATTLE

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 (Continued from Page l.) and the miners army continued its reign until one ot its attachments, comprising about 500 men. ran into an ambush at the c. I. 0. headquar- ters in Galena.
 Eight Men, Boy Fall
 Here, armed men barricaded in the c. I. O. headquarters met the invaders with a volley of shotgun and pistol fire that felled the eight men and a boy. Shots crashed into a motion picture theater across the street and sent scores of children running for their Aves through a rear exit. The outbreak was occaA stoned by the opening of a c. l. O. drive for membership.
 The mines are worked by members of the Tri-State Metal, Mine and Shelter Workers Union. It is lo- local organization with no national adlliation. Members of the Interna- tional Mine, Mill and Shelter Work CTS Union, a c. I. O. affiliate, have been on strike since May 8, 1885. c. I. O. spokesrlen charge that the Tri- State organization is a company union.
 Independent Union
 Peace was restored at the mines under martial law during the 1885 strike. About 5000 miners returned to work as members of the inde- pendent union, while about 500 h. ternational members remained on strike. The independents are known as Blue Carders," because of the color of the cards they carry. The c. I. o. had been quietly recruiting members from among them, and last week c. I. O. leaders believed they had gained sufficient strength to bring their campaign into the open. They called mass meeting at the city park in Picher for 2 p. m. Long before nooh the "blue card" men began to mobilize in the Picher streets. Each was armed with a pick handle. They marched, wav- ing their clubs, singing and shout ing.
 Every Man Inspected
 Citizens fled to their homes. Groups of blue card men accosted every man they saw wearing a c. I. O. button. Some were clubbed, others were challenged to fight and were dealt with by man picked from the blue card group. Blue card men would form a ring about the two combatantS and see that no outsiders mterfered.
 Reid Robinson of Denver, presi- dent o fthe International Union who went to Picher to address the c. I. O. rally, hid behind 8 drug store counter and remained there most of the afternoon.
 Many injured men were picked up from the streets and treated at the hospital here.
 When no sign of a mass meeting developed, the blue card men marched on the International union meeting hall and wrecked 1t. Some of the men heard rumor that the c. I. O, meeting had been moved to Treece. Kan. About 500 blue card men boarded automobiles and trucks and rode to that town where they raided the c. I. o. meeting hall, broke out windows and wrecked the furniture.
 On to Galena
 Then they proceeded to Galena. F. w. (Mike) Evans, president of the Tri-State union. denied that any of his men carried guns, but citizens of the towns reported that guns were in evidence.
 Word had reached Galena of the raiders advance and an undeter- mined number of International men was barricaded in the hall. One mar wearing a c. I. O. button peered from window and shouted: We're ready for them"
 Outside of Picher, the blue card group encountered Constable Ray Keller of Hockerville. They accused him of being 0. I. o. sympathizer and Jagged him.
 Invaders Fall Back
 The blue card force left its auto- mobiles at the corner of Seventh and Main streets and set out afoot for the union hall, three blocks away. As it drew up in parade for nation before the building, the shooting began. The invaders ap- peared to lack leadership and fell back. The firing continued several minutes.
 Sheriff Fred Simkin was sum- moned from Columbus. Kan. When he arrived an hour after the battle, he padlocked the meeting halls of both unions. He arrested two men whom he found inside the 0. I. O. hall. They denied any part in the shooting and were taken to jail at Columbus.
 The wounded men were taken to hospitals in Joplin. Mo. and to Picher.
 Sheriff Simkin said four c. I. O, organizers had been arrested. Ern- est McNutt. state secretary of the Kansas State Convention of Allied Workers. an organization of unem- ployed. requested Governor Huxman to declare martial law in the area. ' ..-