Evening star., 1948-04-18
Judge Backs Warning,
Gives 6-Month Terms.
In G5I Strike Violence.

True to his warnings against strike
violence, Judge John P. Mcmahon
yesterday came down heavily on five
participants in the recently ended
strike of cafeteria workers against
Government Services, Inc, with six
month sentences for the defendants,
each convicted OF assaulting nom
strikers.
Nearly score of strikers and
nonstrikers were charged with Of
fenses ranging from threats and as
sault to disorderly conduct and car
ryling deadly weapons in the course
of the GSI dispute with the United
Cafeteria Workers Local All (CIO)
Numerous picket-line incidents in
volved scuff1es with police as we'll as
with nonunion workers hired to keep
the cafeterias in operation. On one
occasion, three strikers filed damage
suits charging that four policemen
unlawfully assaulted them in a pick
et-line melee.
Judges Warning Recalled.
In announcing the heaviest penal
ties imposed in any case growing out
of the three-month strike which
ended March %, Judge Mcmahon
recalled that he had warned against
strike violence earlier last month.
On that occasion a picket in a
lithograph company strike appeared
before him charged with assaulting
a non-strlker. The judge imposed
a Sl00 fine and suspended 6O-day
jail term.
Yesterday. he prefaced the
sentencing of the five GSI strikers
with strong rebukes.
Il have noted before that every
one has the right to strike and to
picket properly" he told Willie J.
Thompson, 26, colored. of the HOO
block of Tenth street NV. But by
the same token any one as a per-
feet right to go to work unmoleSted
if he wants.
"CalIs Action Characteristic"
Pointing finger at Thompson.
the Judge added: But you had no
respect for the laws-only contempt,
when you committed this assault" "
He recalled evidence that Thompson
had tripped James NJ Ensley, %,
colored, of the 1900 block of Cor
coran street NE, when the latter
tried to cross the picket line in front
of the Munitions Building cafeteria
last January Is.
You then hit your victim with
your fist and kicked him. the judge
noted, adding that this action was
characteristic of violence arising
from labor disputes.
Judge Mcmahon, following his
scolding of Thompson. turned to
the remaining four defendants
two of them women-who were
convicted two weeks ago by a
Municipal Court jury of assaulting
a 54-year- r-old man on January 10.
"All these people were convicted
of kicking, chasing and mauling a
nonstriker old enough to be their
father the judge declared.
Victim Chased a Block.
"If bystanders and police hadn t
happened by at the time, nobody
knows what might have happened,
he said. The victim in this case
was James E. Cooper, colored, of
the 1900 block of Ninth street NV.
Testimony revealed he was attacked
as he aEghted from a bus at
Eleventh street and Pennsylvania
avenue NV, while on his way
home from the National Airport
cafeteria.
Witnesses related that after being
kicked at the bus stop. Mr.. Cooper
was chased a block where the four
strikers jumped on him, throwing
him to the ground.
The six-month sentences in this
case we're imposed upon Richard S.
Ray, %, of the 1400 block of Sims
drive Sc; Lester Johnson. 27, of
the 600 block of Sixty-seventh ave-
nue. NE; Ida K. Cunningham, 30,
of the 3700 block of Grant street
NE, and Lorene G.. Coleman, 81,
of the 370O block of Fourth street
NE The prisoners. who are colored.
were committed to Jail later in the
afternoon. Only Thompson and
Doy l,,I 1roxy;n,,c y,oljoo