Evening star., 1938-05-27
AKRON POLICE USE
GAS TO R0UT 5000
Goodyear Disorder Marked
by Gunfire-Appeai Made
to Roosevelt.
BACKGROUND


The United Rubber Workers. al
though recognized by the Labor Re-
1ations Board as bargaining agent
at Goodyear, never haze been able
to obtain signed contract. The
union has q contract With Fire
stone, and pOted Wednesday to
ratity a contract Nth Goodrich,
Dhich maintained present Wage
lerels but reduced pdcations. Good
rich had sought pay cuts, and
jep Deeks ago threatened to n0De
5000 jobs from Akron unless the
union agreed to reductions aperag-
-. ing l2la per cent.
Ey IRE Associated Press.
AKRON. Ohio, May 27-More than
100 policemen. rifles and tear gas guns
At hand, forged q ring of peace around
the sprawling plants Of Goodyear Tire
& Rubber Co. today in the wake Of
night-long rioting and sniping in
which at least 80 persons we're injured.
The disorders, which reached their
height at midnight when police welded
nightsticks and loosed tear and
nauseating gases into crowd Of 5000
strike pickets and sympathizers,
tapered of hour by hour until At dawn
only q few score curious persons re-
manned at the scene.
Police reported several hundred
workers of the am. shift. which
ordinarily includes about 1000 men.
entered the plant without difficulty,
in the face of a c. l. o. strike call.
One policeman. Patrolman Ray Nice,
was struck by a shotgun blast. but re-
turned to duty after receiving treat
ment.
Youth Seriously Wounded.
Donald Dixon, 10, was shot and seri-
ously wounded by rifle fire. 1t. Ste
phen MCGOWAN said police shot him.
about four blocks from the scene Of
the principal fighting and several
hours after the midnight fracas. but
added he had not learned the circum-
stances.
shot and slightly wounded. while the
other casualties-55 Of whom required
hospital Observation-Disclosures head and
similar injuries.
The rioting followed by two hours
the United Rubber Workers Union
announcement of strike. The c. I. o.
union, exclusive bargaining agent for
the companys approximately 5000
employees, said It had got nowhere"
in negotiations over claimed grew
ances.
Appeal Sent Roosevelt.
A telegram asking President Roose-
welt Ito call the company and the city
administration to account for their ac-
tions" was sent to the White House
today by Thomas B. Burns, vice presi-
dent of the Rubber Workers Local.
Must we have Memorial Day mas
sacre in Akron before workers can
secure their rights?" Burns telegram
asked.
Mr.. Burns called an afternoon
meeting Of city and county union
officials, both c. I. o. and A. F. of L.,
to discuss plans for throwing q
mass picket line around the plant"
We don't intend to take this laying
down." Burns said.
Il can say on behalf Of Akron
labor that we will tolerate no Girdler
tactics in Akron. Tom Girdler IRE
public Steel Corp. chairman) may be
q director Of Goodyear. but neither
he nor his stooge mayor are going
to dictate to the working people OF
this community
There were no pickets on the scene
and only q few curious as the noon
hour approached.
Adjt Gen. Emil F. Marx at Column
bus expressed belief authorities would
be able to maintain peace without
the aid OF National Guard troops.
Request Is Deferred.
Mayor Iee b. Schroy was pre-
pared to ask Gov Davey for troops.
but after conferring with observers
and noting that no disturbance oc-
CURED at the am. shift of workers
at the plant he decided to defer his
request" Gen. Marx said.
A year ago during the Mahoning
Valley steel strike Gov. Davey ordered
the troops to preserve the status
quo' at the plants of the Repub-
lcan Steel Corp. and the Youngstown
Sheet g. Tube Co.. then instructed
them to protect any men desiring to
return to work.
Maj. Gen. ellison D. Light Of To-
ledo, who directed troop activities
during the steel strike, was in charge
Of the observer.
Crowd Menaces Police Detail.
The riot broke at the scheduled
midnight change of shifts The crowd.
which had started gathering 1t 10
pm, pushed in upon policemen at the
gate Of Goodyear's plant No. /.
Immediately police retaliated with