Evening star., 1948-05-14
Calls
Out Guard After
Meat Strike Raid
One Plant Wrecked,
80 Hostages Seized
By Mob of 200 Men
BULLETIN

ST. PAUL, Mimi. R.-The
Minnesota National Guard was
called out today by Gov.
Luther Youngdahl for duty at
strikebound packing plants in
Newport and South st. Paul,
scenes of strike violence. Adjt.
Gen. Ellard Walsh said a
substantial task force" would
get strike assignments. He
indicated motorized and mech
anized units would be sent to
the two towns.
BY the Assoeioted Press
NEWPORT, Mimi, May IA
mob estimated at 200 men forced
its way into the strikebound
Cudahy g. Co. packing plant
during the night, damaged the
interior, set free several thou
sand dollars worth of hogs and
carried away 80 plant workers as
hostages.
The plant is located in this town
of 900, across the Mississippi
River from South st. Paul where
police and sheriff's deputies yester-
day battled CIO packing house
workers in an unsuccessful attempt
to open picket lines around plants
strikebound since March 16.
Several of the II officers were
struck and two were knocked down
in the battling.
The situation in South st. Paul
was reported as tense but tempo
rarily quiet today.
R. j. Swenson. general manager
of the Newport Cudahy plant, gave
this account of last nights raid:
About 11:15 pm. an estimated
200 men-some of them Cudahy
workers on strike-entered the
plant
Plant Plunged in Darkness.
First the main power switch
was pulled, plunging the plant into
darkness. Then room where
some of our men were sleeping was
entered. Cots on which they rested
were broken up and some windows
smashed.
Locks on some of the stock pens
were broken and ITO hogs, valued
at about $4,000 were set free.
"A new car belonging to one of
the plant engineers was tipped over
and the windows of one side and
the windshield were broken.
The plant boilers were turned
of but apparently there was no
serious damage done to them.
Then about 80 of the so to so
men who were on duty in the plant
were herded into cars and taken
away. cat 6 am. Mr.. Swenson said
all but II or II of the missing men
had been accounted for.)
Two in Hospital.
These men we're apparently
taken out into the hills A number
of men were hurt in the plant. Two
of them are hospitalized and sew
eral have been treated for cuts and
bruises.
THE entry into the plant ap-
peared we'll planned. We found a
round, heavy club that one of the
men who came into the plant prob
ably used"
Mr.. Swenson went to the plant
early this morning with Sheriff
Reuben Granquist. The manager
said survey was being made of the
plant to determine the total dam
age He added that none of the
damage seemed to be of a nature
that would seriously impair opera
tionS.
Mr.. Swenson said he would ask
Gov. Luther w. Youngdahl to call
out the National Guard This has
exceeded the stage at which we can
work through court ORDERS" he
added.
Governor Willing to Use Guard.
Gov. Youngdahl said later at st.
Paul he was prepared to call out the
National Guard if such a written
request is made by the sheriffs Of
Dakota and Washington Counties.
The Cudahy plant is located in
Washington County. The Armour
and Swift & Co. plants, where there
were disturbances the past two
days, are located in Dakota County.
The Governor said he had told
the sheriffs that If they would say
that law and order had broken
down in their counties and they
could not handle the situation, then
he would be prepared TO call Out The
Guard.
Both sheriffs arrived at the Capt.
tol a few minutes later and went
into conference with Maj. Gen. FL
lard A. Walsh, Minnesota sdjutant
general.
Union Denies Guard Is Needed.
District Office No. 2 of the Packing
House Workers issued the following
statement early today:
The CIO Packing House Workers
are fighting for their jobs and for
(See PACKING HOUSE, Page A-2D
C,.al~, Do~J:n~