The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-02-27

sworn in as special deputy police men. MT. Edward FO Entwisle General manager of the plant) has appealed to the Erie County sheriff for further protection.
 ''The inadequacy of local police protection in the present situation constitutes a real menace to the defense program. It is imperative that some means be found to stop a small body of lawless men from pre- venting, by violence and intimida- ton, loyal and patriotic citizens who wish to work, from going 10 their jobs."
 Two investigators for the federal office of production management Cyrus Ching and Thomas F. Burns, were reported en route to Washing ton after conferences here. They were quoted before leaving that "the next step vii leone from Wash ington," but they discounted re- ports that the government mignt take over operation of the plant here, which was working on an eS- timated $250,O00,000 of govern ment contracts.
 The statement that the sheritf's protection was sought was one o1 the few issued by the company since the trouble began three weeks ago. In it, Entwisle was quoted that "tne strike is dismal failure only 69 men left their jobs before the end of the 3-11 p. m. shift ana many men on teh shift stayed over to work on the third shift"
 One Small Mill
 "Onlv one small mill, a 1O-lnch har mill. where 30 men left their iobs. was shut down for lack of workers" the statement said.
 "An unruly mob, for the most part composed of imported plckets, blocked the public highway ill tront of the plant gates, assaulted loyal men who attempted to enter tLlt gates to go to their jobs, WrecKeel their automobiles and engaged Ill other forms of violence and mtlnl' dation." .
 Bv midnight, Nathan E. CoWan, SWOC strike director, reported tnat cat least a dozen key units or tne nlant" were shut down, lncIuolne the open hearth, strip mill, oiast furnace, coke ovens and mecnaIllca. departments. He said that scarceiy more than 20 men reported TOT Work on the Il D. m. shift. Other snl1ts ordinarily report at a. m. and P: m. keeping the plant operating "A hours a day during tn crush or oe- fense orders. ,r.
 First casualties reported were James Johnson, 38, Negro, who salo he was walking into the plant ana was knocked down by pickets au- tomobile; Joseph Sullivan, 34, nickst, who said he was KnocKeo dowa by the automobile of worker entering the plant, and Thaddeus Iesniewski, 32, a picket, injured n fine collision of bus and truck.
 The OPM agents here were cyrus Ching, who conferred with union leaders. and Thomas F. Burns, who negotiated with company otnclais'
 First Statement
 c. L. Baker, personnal manager, issued last night one of the nrst Statements by the management since the trouble began three weeks aco with series of work stoppages. He said he had told union repre- sentatiyes that if the suspended em- ployes wanted to return to work tne enlargement would consider thelr cases and lift suspensions of tnose who wish 1t with the understanoins that they will work in harmony Wltn o,lr other employees, and will cease the unlawful practices that caused their suspension"
 Earlier. Grace was said to have considered the work stoppages a "sit-down strike" and to have re- fused "to arbitrate sit-doWn.
 Finn said that after he and Chlng made their reports to Washington "the next step will come rom there" He and Ching discounted re- ports that the government might take over operation of the plant.
 The plant here, sprawling over; 1900 acres of Lake Erie waterfront and employing 12,000 men, was grad ually being paralyzed as workers drifted out to the picket lines, leav- ing the heat to run oil the molten steel needed for guns and ships ana other objects of defense.
 The strike began quietly at y o'clock last night, the deadline set by the union for the management to negotiate on union demands. The demands were that 100 workers re- gently suspended or discharged pc returned to their jobs; that the com pany discontinue allegedly unfair labor practices and agree to a col lective bargaining election within 90 days: and that 1t grant all enn- ployes a 25 per cent wage increase Acts of Violence
 Several minor acts of violence were reported at two plant en- frances. Most workers attempting to enter the plant for the II p. m. shift last night were turned back bv the picket lines but a few more determined workers tried to force their way through and had thelr windshields and car wine ows smashed. Several men suf1ereo slight injuries in the skirmishes.
 Early this morning a Negro picket was arrested when he alleged iy attempted to attack Chief Dep uty Sheriff William Mahoney at an entrance with a knife. He was booked on a charge of attempted as- ssult.
 ,rhe presence here of two agents for the federal office of production management and pleas from Sidney Hillmar, of the OPM and from Gov. Herbert H. Lehman of New YorK state for delay, failed to prevent the strike starting on schedule, The two federal agents continued confer ences with company and union om- cials but little progres was reported and the threat of spreading strike weighed heavily on the nations sec ond largest steel company, which has 6O,OOO workers and $7So,OOO'Ooo assets.
 John Rife, assistant to Van A.