Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-11-03
Troops on Guard
As lori||ard
Plant Reopens
Workers Return to
Jobs Without
Interference
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Tobacco Workers Union struck
October 3 at P. Lorillard Co.
plant in Middletown, Ohio, de-
nandtng closed shop and check
on. PicketS and employees clashed
October rs, tUhen attempt uas
made to open plant.
By the Associated Press.
M1DDLETOWN, Ohio, Nov. s.
Under the protection of troops
ordered here by Gov. Martin L.
Davey, the P. Lorillard Co. tobacco
plant resumed operations today.
Closed since October 3 by a Com
mittee for Industrial Organization
strike one shift of approximately
500 workers entered the plant at 8
am, without interference. The plant
employs LOO.
Five hundred Guardsmen were
ordered here by Gov. Davey after
city officials warned that reopening
Of the plant while the strike was in
progress might result In rioting and
bloodshed.
The Pioneer Tobacco Workers
Union, which struck for a closed shop
and the check-off, agreed shortly
before midnight to end the dispute
and return to work.
Vote Is 557 to l.
c. I. o. Organizer Sam Sponseller
said the vote was 557 to /. The plant
reopened today.
Gov. Davey said calling of Of
the strike was an admission that
John L. Lewis had only a small
per cent of the employees in the
tobacco workers union and DEM
onstrated that Mr.. Lewis cannot
operate when the State government
stands for law and order"
The Governor said that If a large
majority OF employees had been
enthusiastic c. I. o. members 1T
would not make any difference how
many troops were in town; the
plant could reopen, and so many
would remain away from work that
it could not operate"
In Washington Mr.. Lewis said
Gov. Davey probably considers it
most unfortunate that the settle
ment of the Middletown strike leaves
his soldiery on the ground with no
one to shoot"
AS troops were en- route from Co.
lumbus, Paul w. Fuller and John
Owens, regional c. I. o. directors,
urged the strikers to return to their
jobs lin orderly fashion"
Charges to Be Filed.
I'VE do not intend to have our
people murdered by a lame-duck
Governor who has proven him.
self to be Americas notorious No. l
strikebreaker," Mr.. Fuller wired Mr..
Sponseller. Mr.. Fuller said he would
file charges with the National Labor
Relations Board.
Mr.. Owens said the troop order
was the most inexcusable of the
many vicious acts by Gov. Davey
during his term of office"
There was no violence in Mid
dletown, and there was no threat
of any by the c. I. o." Mr.. Owens
said. Gov. Davey's act is further
Wanton waste of taxpayers money
so he can vent his personal revenge
on labor organization which
helped throw him out of office"
Governor Explains.
Gov Davey, who last year sent
troops into Ohio's steel centers to
order during the c. I. o.
little steel" strike, said he ordered
out the Guardsmen yesterday to
preserve law and order" at the re-
quest of City Manager Walter J.
Braun for protection.
An attempt on October Is to open
the plant, employing 1,100 persons
at processing tobacco and manu.
featuring chewing scrap, precipi-
tated clash between union pickets
and employees seeking to resume
work
Terming this a serious riot"
Gov. Davey flayed what he called
the brutal, lawless and tyrannical
invasion of this State by the c. 10.
high command"