Evening star., 1941-10-31

emerged from the building With his
arms full of rifles and shotguns. He
piled them in a police car and drove
of.
The first contingent OF soldiers
from Fort Jay, Governors Island.
N. Y, arrived at 3:35 am, but did
not move into the plant grounds
until IS minutes later. Three other
contingents followed from Forts
Wadsworth and Hamilton, Brook
lyn, N. Y, and Fort Hancock.
Takes Over Plant.
Brig. Gen. Forrest E. Wlliford.
commander of the I'd Coast Artillery
District, was in command OF the
troops. He arrived shortly before
the first contingent and Immediately
went into conference with Col Jones.
Col. Jones said in statement:
INV instructions from Washing
ton are TO Immediately take all
steps necessary to protect workers
entering the plant, leaving the
plant, and. if necessary, in their
homes, and to take such other
measures as may be needed in the
interests of national defense.
effective Immediately the plant
will be open for work under Gov
ernment control Employees desiring
to return to their jobs will be given
all necessary protection to insure
free and safe entrance to and exit
from the factory.
"The proper civil authorities are
giving full cooperation to the ex-
tent of their abilities in the en-
forcement of local, State and Fed
eral laws and in any additional
steps deemed essential and author
lied by the national emergency
powers Of the President.
Asks Civilian Cooperation.
ST ask all laW-abiding citizens in
this community to assist authorities
and the employees in the exercise of
their duty and their privilege to
return to work and to continue to
work. Under Government control
no employe of this plant will be
coerced or intimidated to return or
to remain in the plant. At the
same time and to The extent pos
sible under the law, no person or
organization will be permitted to
coerce or intimidate any individual
who desires to return to work and
to continue to work, nor will any
action calculated to hinder, delay
or endanger national defense pro-
duction in the plant be tolerated"
Soldiers not on active guard duty
were stationed at Bendix Airport,
adjoining the plant. Field kitchens,
ambulances, wreckers and other
Army vehicles were also on the field.
Only a handful of spectators were
on the scene when the troops ar
rived and there was no demonstra-
ton of any kind.
President Roosevelt announced
his action in a formal statement
issued at mid-evening by White
House Secretary Stephen Early and
stating "our country is in serious
danger"
He said that Air Associates has
failed to carry out its part" of rec
concentrations by the Defense Me-
diation Board, and reviewed the
dispute between the company and
the United Automobile Workers OF
America &C. I. o., which charged
unfair labor practices.
The dispute was marked by three
strikes. The first was called July
II, the c. I. o. charging nine men
had been laid off for union activities
and the company asserting there
was no work for them. Other issues
soon developed. This strike ended
July 80 through the efforts of the
Mediation Board. G. 1. o. workers
walked out again September 80.
Settlement of this strike was an
nounced in Washington last Friday
by Undersecretary of War Patterson
and William Knudsen, director of
the Q. P. M.
Sixty-five strikers were to have re-
turned to work last Monday, but re-
fused, the union saying the company
had attempted to get them to sign
reinstatement forms which would
deprive them of their former posi-
lions and pay in violation of the set