Evening star., 1939-07-31


called at Detroit plants OF Gen.
eral Motors on July S. The strike
threto 1000 out of Dork. General
Motors officials claim iDalkout
tcas result OF dispute bet,Deen
c. I. O. and A. F. of L. factions.
BY the Associated Press.
CLEVELAND, July 31.-A club
welding, brick-tossing and tear gas
bombing riot at the strikebound
Fisher Body plant of General Motors
Corp. today injured AZ persons, none
seriously.
A crowd of c. I. o. United Auto
mobile Workers, estimated by police
at 5000 to 5000, massed at the
gates to stop the plant"
Police Capt Michael J. Blackwell
said fighting started after a brick
was thrown through the window of
an automobile carrying several non-
strikers into the plant. Automobiles
carrying employees through picket
lines were reported overturned and
burned.
At least 300 tear gas shells and
bombs were thrown in the rioting
that insued, Capt. Blackwell said.
From a third-floor window of the
sprawling factory policeman
mounted a long-range tear gas run
which spat gas shells 300 yards into
the crowd of demonstrators.
Capt. Blackwell said that strikers
replied with tear gas shells and
grenades.
Twelve persons were arrested and
released later on waivers. Three
admitted operating a sound truck
without permits and nine admitted
creating a disturbance.
A short time later a truce was
effected by Police Chief George J.
Matowitz.
Plant Held Operating.
Company officials said the plan.
was operating, as it has been
throughout the strike, called three
weeks ago by skilled tool and die
workers to press demands for a
supplemental agreement.
The company said 463 persons.
1. including Office employees, entered
the plant today. About TOO normally
are employed at this season Union
representatives made no estimate on
the number who entered the plant.
Police were ordered not to fire
any bullets unless the strikers
stormed the plant" Capt Black
well said.
Two fire department bumpers
played streams of water into the
shouting crowd dispelling demon
strators.
Ofi1cials of White Motor Co.. three
miles away and not affected by the
strike, closed their plant today be-
cause only 400 of a regular work
force Of 1900 reported for duty.
Many Of the White Motor Workers
were on picket line at Fisher, Capt.
Blackwell said.
Eliot Ness, Cleveland safety d.
rector, issued several hours after the
rioting an order prohibiting 'riotous
assembly in the plant area and re-
stricting picketing within 500 yards
OF the factory.
Several thousand copies of the
order were taken to the strike area
Tor distribution. 1t will remain in
effect until further notice" he said
Approximately 300 policemen were
called for duty at the gates when
the non-strikers leave this after
noon.
Bombs Tossed Back.
Tear gas bombs thrown by police
were picked up and tossed back
by pickets in several instances.
When the gas failed to disperse the
crowd, police turned fire hose on
the pickets.
About 100 police were on duty at
the plant today sent there after a
c. 1. o. organizer had urged all
union men to turn out to stop this
plant" When rioting started, 100
more police were dispatched to the
plant.
Police Chief Matowitz said strikers
had agreed to a truce pending a
union committee conference.
Rioters had tear gas shotguns
' with shells which we believe were
from Flint, Mich, and tear gas
bombs, which we believe came from
Pittsburgh" Capt. Blackwell said.
Paul E. Miley, union official, denied
that the unionists had any tear gas
of their own.
Capt Blackwell asserted they
were firing one tear gas gun and
throwing grenades. He said exam
1nation of gas shells which, he
claimed, were used by pickets, showed
they were from Flint and Pitts
burgh.
Brick Strikes Auto.
The captain said violence started
after brick was thrown through
the window of a non- strikers auto
mobile entering the plant. Fighting
was stopped by police at once at
that gate, but broke out anew at
another entrance. Capt. Blackwell
said.
Il heard a report that sounded
like a gun, but 1 don't know if any
shots were f1red,' Capt. Blackwell
said.
After the rioting was checked
demonstrators collected around Dom
ovan's Loop, barroom near the
plant. The crowd listened to speeches
and to announcements from a sound
truck.
From the truck came the an
nouncement: There are 10000 here
today. There will be 10000 tomor-
row, If necessary"
OF those injured, five were given |
first aid inside the plant before thev
I were taken to hospital.
Two Arrested in Clash !