Evening star., 1948-09-15
End Of Effort 10 Run
Picket Line Ayerfs
New Refinery Clash
BY the Asseeiofsd Rrsss

and police at the strike-bound
Standard Oil Co. refinery was
averted today when no attempt was
made to pass more AFL maintenance
workers through the picket lines.
Yesterday such a move erupted
into a rock and tear gas battle in
which nine persons we're injured.
Today, the union maintained only
the legal permissible four pickets at
each gate to the refinery, but several
hundred other strikers gathered at
the union headquarters, just around
the corner from the main gate Of
the refinery, and another 100 or
more loitered across the street from
the gate where the lighting broke
out yesterday.
About 10 police, many in white
riot helmets, patroled gates to the
plant.
Union Uses Loudspeaker.
Shortly after 7 am. union loud
speaker advised the assembled
pickets that it was not expected any
attempt to run AFL workers past
the picket lines would be made
today.
The loudspeaker repeatedly warned
strikers to cooperate with reporters
and photographers, in an effort to
avoid the roughing up given several
newspaper photographers in the
fighting yesterday.
At about 7:30 am. Jim Stanley,
president of the striking CIO oil
workers broadcast an announcement
to nonstrikers, inside the gates since
yesterday that they could leave now
If you want"
"This is a last announcement to
this effect" he said.
Truce" Is Observed.
In a reference to yesterdays con-
ference Of CIO and AFL representa-
tives, designed to avoid a recurrence
of yesterdays outbreak, the CIO
union announced: apparently the
truce Is being observed this morn
ing"
An estimated 1000 strikers, many
Of them wearing the white caps OF
longshoremen, brawled with police
for two hours yesterday In the Bit
terest clash of the 11-day strike
against six major oil companies.
The police fired tear gas; the strikers
hurled stones.
When it was over, witnesses said,
CIO leaders told their men to come
back tomorrow morning-and bring
six friends"
Remain in Plant.
The $50 or so AFL workers who
entered the plant remained over
night rather than buck the picket
lines again today. Already inside
were an estimated TOO nonstrikers
who have slept and eaten there
since the strike started.
An oil industry spokesman, Reese
Taylor, charged in a statement that
CIO longshoremen played leading
role" in yesterdays riot. He de-
clared that Harry Bridges, long
shore leader. is seeking control OF
the oil workers in an attempt to
widen his control over strategic
West Coast industries"
Richmands City Council was
summoned into special session to
hear protests from oil workers who
charged police with undue violence
One councilman sharply criticized
| police actions. @"..h.., .1..
Negotiations between the oil work.
ers and the struck companies con-
tinued In San Francisco and In Los
Angeles with no agreement yet in
sight. Federal and State concilia-
tors we're participating In an at
tempt to bring the two sides to-
gether. ,......
Wages Chief Issue.
The chief issue was a union de-
mand for 81 cents an hour wage in
crease against an employer offer of
1917 cents.
j. Elro Brown, union district di-
rector, said the company offer would
boost the present $1.68 an hour pay
scale to $1801a, and that Eastern
and Texas workers have received
boosts bringing their scale to $1.95
an hour.
No appreciable shortage in gaso-
line was yet noticeable, although
purchases were limited to five gal
Ions per car in some areas. Com
pany spokesmen said supplies will
remain at about IS per cent OF
normal.