The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-02-14
Fists Fly in New
Shipyard Flareup

(Continued From Page One)
With either faction Of the bcllig-
orenta.
Char1sa Drinkerhoff, secre-
tasy sf the Independent weld
ers' group here, was beaten
1urlng TIE fight asd required
minor medical treatment.
He explained that hin men had
not intended any demonstration Of
violence. but merely sought to
persuade AFL welders to Join the
ranks Of the independent group.
A half-hour after the battle of
nsticuffs had commenced with
the night shifts rush against the
pickets, order had been COM
pletely restored At the shipyard.
although q number of men on both
sides were Obliged to nurse Black
eyes. bloody noses and similar
hr11isea
A secsnd and smaller group
~ we1ders' pickets was sta
ttened II the Dirchfield Boiler
O.. shipyards when wori<mca
begnn arriving there st . .. m.
Al the AFL workmen there hest
tated outside the plant to discuss
tbs apparent situation. several
autos loaded with men identified
~ AL night workers from the
nearby shipyard where the earlier
fracas had taken place swooped
down upon the gathering and
again fists began to fly.
According 70 several re-
perts, ALL workmen from the
60 shipyard WE'RE fighting
against ALL werkmea from
TIE other yard IN . grim conn
edy Of mistaken Identities and
intentions.
City police were summoned TO
quell the frse-for-all battle. There
were no arrests or casualties other
than minor injuries received by
numerous members of the several
factions involved.
After the Birchfield battle
epokesmen for the AFL group de-
clared there would be no walk
out or interruption OF their work
became Of any demonstrations OIL
actions by the members Of thu
striking independent welder group
Local members Of the United
Brotherhood Of weldors. Cutter
4 Helpers independently strucl
two weeks ago and have not YET
ended their walkout.
Meanwhile, officials Of fhe
GT6C shipyards declared their
payroll this week reached m
III eime high, with 6.soo men
currentiy working there.
The jurisdictionai dispute i
based on union affiliation of weld
er<. who have long sought uniol
autonomy.
A closed shop contract witt
shipyards here Is held by tn
Boilermakers union fAFL) VIII
have Recognized jurisdiction owe
Welders.
Some 1,1eo welders walked Of
their jobs here two weeks ago L
protest Of discharge of 81 of thei
number. who were declared In
eligible by the Boilermakers union
Spokesman for the Independent
welders said their entire grou
was guilty Of the same crime
non-payment Of dues" and tina
the welders simply quit their job
before they were fired.
The action. which threatened
shipyard production through
cut the northwest. MAS short
lived elsewhere. however
Spokesman for the sTSc snip
yard here declared the walkou
was virtually ineffective by IN
end Of q week. ano said tina
welders were being rehired as fss
as they became reinstated in tn
Boilermakers union. which mad
possible uninterrupted and increas
ing defense production
FEW PENNIES STOLEN
A few pennies were taken from
the cash drawer Of the Sam Thorn
hill service station, 1II6 St Pau
ave. before thieves apparent.
were frightened away by a mer
chant pstrolman about 4 a. m
Friday n Was renorfed 10 police