Evening star., 1938-08-04
BY JOHN C. HENRY.


youngstown police officials selected
50 non-striking steel company en-
,-ployes as special patrolmen during the
little STEEL strike Of last summer, 1t
was disclosed before the Senate Civil
Liberties Committee today.
Although Mayor Lionel Evans had
authorized appointment OF extra off,
Gers from the city's civil service lists
and a total Of Isl applications were
received from these lists, only IS ap-
pointees could be obtained from this
source, as compared to the 50 steel
workers named. Altogether, 144 spe-
-cial officers were appointed during the
strike period, at cost Of S19,251. Gas
purchases by the city amounted to
$13s26.
The selection OF officers was made
by Police Chief Carl Olson and Paul
Lyden. water commissioner and for
nler chief, who assisted him during
the strike.
:, did it not occur to you that it
would have been advisable in a situa-
ton Of this kind to select men with
no Affiliations, prejudices or sympa-
taies in order that the tension not be
mcreased?" Senator La Toilette asked.
1T was hard to get anybody" the
Ehief replied. Il don't know rs I
asked the men where they were or
had been working"
Differs From Chief.
. Differing from the chief, Commits
soner Lyden testified that police can
didates were questioned about their
employment background and that an
effort was made to assign them where
such sympathies might not interfere.
:: Ray L. Thomas, Youngstown at
tprney and counsel for two "inde-
pendent" steel unions, told the COM
rnittee that he advised members OF the
employe groups to carry firearms for
protection" against the c. I. o. dur
ing strike.
- The attorney justified his advice by
saying his clients should take steps to
take care of themselves If the public
ofncials didn't have enough sense"
to do 30.
He leveled broad charges of Com
munism" at the C. !. o. steel organ
izers, and declared the strikers had
considerable stores of dynamite, gas
and munitions. Police found some
Of these stores, he testified. on infor-
nation he turned over to them.
ThA
xknted by the lawyer were ut
Youngstown Sheet IL Tube Co.
Violence leading to the death of two
persons at the Market street entrance
Of the strike-bound Republic Steel
plant in Youngstown was under
scrutiny of the committee today.
i The prelude to the fatalities was
pfobed yesterday in questioning of wit
nesses about a disturbance on the
night Of June 10, precipitated when
youngstown city police served as escort
Tor a speeding truck which roared
through strike picket lines and into
the plant.
According to witnesses from the
police department. they had received
assurance that the truck contained
food for maintenance crews. Strike
leaders had previously testified they
would have agreed to movement of
maintenance crews or food for them
providing they were given the oppor-
tHnity to make sure no other men or
supplies were moved.
I Company Informer Shot,
In the melee following the trucks
dash two city policemen received scalp
lacerations and q man, identified as
Ralph Ross, who the strike witnesses
said was a company informer on the
picket line. was shot in the leg. The
crowd finally was dispersed by a gas
attack from deputy sheriffs under
Mahoning County Sheriff Ralph K.
Easer who said he was a target of
bullets when he arrived.
Godfrey Burke, retail coal dealer
and father of a c. I. o. steel organizer.
disputed Sheriff Elser,s version of what
happened, saying the pickets were
shot upon with gas without any warn
Ing and in my opinion, needlessly and
uselessly"
witnesses also differed as to whether
the shot which wounded Ross came
from the strikers or from a window OF
the Republic plant.
1t was testified by Mr.. Burke and
several Of the strikers that one of
those most voluble in urging the pick
en to violence after the company
truck went through was Harold F.
Yareo. alias Ira Alberts. shown last
week definitely to have been an un-
dercover agent of the company.