The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-06-22
Is DEAD, 700 INJURED IN RACE RIOTS
Street
FIGHTS END AS
ARMY MOVES IN
BY ANTHONY G. DE LORENZO
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent,

BY ANTHONY G. DE LORENZO
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent,
Detroit, June %. - (UP)-
Steel helmeted motorized
Army troops restored law and
order to Detroit today after
violent race riots, but pro-
duction slunped in war
plants because of an Excess
sive rate of absenteeism
among Negro workers. Fed
eral Army attachments in
battle uniforms bivouacked
along a two-mile stretch of
Woodward avenue, the city's main
thoroughfare, and mobile units -
light tanks, jeepS and armored cars
rolled through narrower streets Of
the Negro section with guns loaded
and orders to use them - if neces-
sary."
The tropS moved into the city
shortly before midnight under direc
orders from President Roosevelt to
halt rioting Negro and white mob
sters whose 24-hour reign of ter
ror left Is persons dead, nearly 700
injured and thousands of dollars of
property damage. Tension seemed to
vanish with arrival of the soldiers.
Gov Harry F. Kelly said reports
from State and city police and fed
eral authorities we're very good
this morning. Last violence, he said,
was reported at 4:30 a. m. when
Negro was killed while looting
store.
Production Curtailcd
Production in Detroits busy war
plants, curtailcd yesterday by dis
rupted transportation services, still
was hampered today by abseuteeism
of negro workers. The Ford Motor
Co. reported that several thousand"
approximately 35 per cent
Of its foundry personnel-remained
away from work today.
General Motors reported its pro-
duction undiminished despite the
fact that more than so per cent"
of its Negro employees failed to re-
port today Its spokesman said other
workers picked up the slack and
kept production at normal levels.
The Packard Motor Car Co..
scene three weeks ago of strike by
white employees protesting upgrad-
ing of Negro workers, said there
were fewer bsenteeS among Negro
employees today.
Chrysler Corp. reported that alb
senteeism at it's Dodge plant, which
employs many Negro workers,
amounted to nearly IS per cent.
Briggs Manufacturing Co. likewise
reported abnormally high absen-
teeism among Negroes.
Negro and white leaders alike
blamed fifth-column activities for
yesterdays widespread race riots
the nations worst civil disturbance
since the first World War-and
urged immediate steps to prevent
recurrence of the bloody street
They met with Mayor Edward j.
Jeffries, Jr., and issued statements
describing the riots as Outrageous
violations of civic peace and nation
al unity"
This is not an isolated incident
arising from a chance fist fight,
a statement by white leaders read.
1T is part of an organized national
fifth column conspiracy to break
our unity and disrupt the home pro-
duction front"
They charged that the Ku Klux
Khan and other fifth column ele-
ments" inspired the riots and asked
an immediate roundup and arrest
of all known Khan and other fifth
column leaders" in this area. The
negro statement said 1t wished to
tell the white citizens Of DeIosS
that the negro people are their /,
friends"
The federal troops were ordered )
into Detroit by President Roosevelt
The presidential orders, issued at
the request of Gov. Harry F. Kelly,
whose declaration Of a state OF
was ignored by the riot
ers, commanded all persons engag-
ed in unlawful and insurrection- !
airy proceedings" to disperse ana
return to their homes at once.
Almost simultaneously Secretary
If War Henry L. Stimson ANNOUNCE
ed at Washington that he had d.
-ected Maj. Gen. Henry S. Aurand,
the Sixth Service Com
nand at Chicago, to use troops to
suppress the disturbances.
But even before the orders Of
Mr.. Roosevelt and Stimson were /,
made public LOO federal troops
swung up Woodward avenue-De-
,roit's main thoroughfare-and into
debris Uttered paradise Valley
he ctiy's shabby negro quarters.
Shippers Sought
With fixed bayonets the soldiers !
marched slowly behind arnsoFsa !
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