Evening star., 1938-08-10
STRIKE BEAT|NGS
LAID TO MILITIA
Wholesale Arrests Also Are
Made in Canton, Says
Senate Witness.
By JOHN C. HENRY.

Wholesale arrests and beatings Of
strikers and union members by Ohio
National Guardsmen Immediately pre-
ceded the forced reopening of Re-
public Steel Corp plants in Canton in
June, 1887, it was testified before the
Senate Civil Liberties Committee to-
day.
Once under arrest. it was said, the
men were held without charges for
varying periods of one or more days,
during which time they they were
questioned about why they Joined the
union, why they wouldn't return to
work and about the status Of their
citizenship. Fingerprints and photo
graphs were taken and no opportunity
given the men to reach their fam
flies or union attorneys.
Guardsmen were ordered into Canton
by Gov Martin L. Davey. They kept
the status quo" five days and then
permitted the steel plants to reopen.
Reporter Is Witness.
Garland Ashcraft, reporter for the
Cleveland Press, covering the little
steel" strike, was the first witness to
testify to the diligence" of the Guards
men, who he said "roamed through
the streets chasing people clear into
their homes, and some times right OF
their front porches, they didn't by any
means conf1ne their activities to the
trouble zones"
In one instance, Mr.. Ashcraft said,
the Guardsmen broke up a crowd OF
'kids," chasing one down and beating
him. On numerous occasions, ne
added, they attempted to conf1scate
notes of reporters.
Aaron Cohen, attorney for the Steel
Workers Organizing Committee, told
of the union arrests. most of them
coming on the morning of June 80
when Republic planned to reopen its
plants. He said it took him 36 hours
to get the release of some Of the ar
rested men and the placing of charges
against about 60 others.
Men Held at Attention.
During this interval, he said. he saw
some of the arrested men being held
at attention in the guard headquarters
as others were taken off for question:
ing
To all remonstrances against the
practices of the guard. it was testified
that union officials were ordered to
mind your business, we'll mind ours"
Among the days witnesses were sew
eral for whom medical records showed
treatment for injuries in these periods.
In testimany yesterday ]. G. Stew
art of Canton, an employe Of the Re-
public Steel Co., who aided q back
to-work movement, termed Philip
Murray. chairman Of the Steel Work
ers' Organizing Committee &C. I. o.,
"self-appointed Messiah" He added
that he believed Tom Girdler, Republic
chairman, was mo Simon Legree."
Defending Republics management,
the witness said he had better pay
and working conditions than friends
and relatives employed in plants which
had signed contracts with the c. I. o.
AcllS OF AlOu8pluk.
He testified that he and two other
leaders of the back-to- work move
ment were kidnapped" and beaten by
union members in an effort to break
up meeting Of non-strikers.
His testimony was corroborated in
part by Guy Sweany and Darrell
Smith, union officials who said they
were present while Stewart and his
companions were at union headquar-
ters in Canton. The union men said,
however. that they saw no signs that
the back-to-work leaders had been
injured.
Chairman La Toilette. Progressive,
Of Wisconsin put into the record Re-
public pay roll figures showing that
leaders of the back-to-work movement
received larger pay during the strike
than at other times, although they did
not work in the plant.
The committees figures showed that
Stewart received $l,22394 in June,
1887, whereas his average June earn
ings from 1893 to 1896 were s261.72.
Stewart agreed that he had never
"made that much money before or
since" He said he was paid on q
14-hour basis. adding that he believed
he would have received as much If he
had remained in the plant for the
same period.