Evening star., 1946-02-28
pictures on Page A-4.)
BY the Associated Press

BY the Assoeoted Press
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 3d.
Striking General Electric Co.
workers and sympathizers bat
tied police in a free-for-al to-
day in one of the most violent
outbreaks in postwar labor dis
putes.
Three thousand marchers broke
through police lines three blocks
from the plant, bowling over six Of
flcers on motorcycles before 18
mounted policemen rode into their
ranks and routed the men and wom-
en- in the parade.
The estimated number of injured
ranged as high as 20.
A score of persons were arrested
and held for questioning. Among
them was Francis White, regional
organizer of the CIO.
Second Day of Fighting.
1t was the second straight day
in which CIO electrical workers and
sympathizers fought police enforc-
ing an injunction prohibiting mass
picketing at General Electric.
Union leaders asserted they were
not violating the injunction, but
were conducting a march on City
Hall to protest police brutality"
Acting Sheriff William j. Morrow
declared he had ordered police to
break up all gatherings of workers
within six-block radius of the
plant.
skirmishes between police and the
marchers fared throughout the
Southwest Philadelphia area for a
half hour before the acting sheriff
reported the situation under control
The marchers then began a S.
block trek to City Hall.
More than 1000 persons, led by a
flag-bearer, reached the city hall
shortly after noon. Hundreds of
policemen, carrying nightsticks, stood
guard.
Philsdelphians jammed into the
city plaza surrounding the historic
municipal building to watch the
marchers.
In the early morning hours, the
SIS police on duty in the area scat
tereL>all groups of pickets and took
two persons into custody for ques-
tioning.
The pickets then retired six blocks
from the plant into Delaware County
and formed parade. Led by men
wearing military uniforms, the
crowd started moving, picking up
hundreds of sympathizers on the
way.
The line of marchers, three blocks
long, paraded through suburban Up
per Darby singing, Solidarity For
ever"
Several lines of police tried to
halt the march, but the paraders
continued with their ranks un-
broken.
Acting Sheriff Morrow read
Pennsylvania's Riot Act for the Sec
ond straight day and ordered the
marchers to disperse.
Turn Toward Plant.
There blocks away, the marchers
turned toward the General Electric |
plant. At that point, mounted and
motorized police, reinforced by Of
f1cers in patrol cars, crashed through |
the parade ranks. swinging clubs. |
Twelve marchers were seen to fall.
The paraders fled into doorways
OF homes and onto porches with DO
lice in pursuit. Police on foot drove
them from these refugees. Mounted
police rode onto lawns swinging
nightsticks.
An unidentified woman was
knocked down and trampled be-
meath a horses hoofs. She was
whisked away in private automo-
bile.
After the melee, only five pickets,
all women, remained on duty at the
plant. Hundreds of polio, were in
the area.
Face Contempt Charges.
Meanwhile, 10 leaders of the union
faced contempt charges for order
ing GE workers to defy the injunc-
ton.
Judge Thomas p. Finletter of
Common Pleas Court No. 4, who
issued the injunction a week ago.
yesterday charged the union Of
flcials to show cause why they
should d-not be cited with contempt of
court.
Those named included Harry
Block, president of the District
Council of the United Electrical
Radio and Machine Workers Union
and of the Philadelphia CIO-In-
dustrial Union Council; Clayton R.
Dechant,/ president of Local 119:
Peter Besch, international organ
izer; David Davis, business agent
of Local 1856; Mr.. White and five
other members of Local 119.
Parade" Broken Up.
The jurist issued the writ on peti-
ton of the company's attorney,
Henry S. Drinker, after club-swing-
ing mounted policemen broke up
parade" of 800 pickets in front of
the GE plant yesterday.
The police attack was called
brutal" by union leaders. They
added the 1000 police assembled by
(See PICKETING. Page A-4.] Il