Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-12-21
Dynamite Bomb
Fails 10 Explode
Al JAW Offices
Police Declare Plot
Undoubtedly Linked
ToAttucks on Reuthers
By the Associoted Press

DETROIT. Dec. 21.-UnknoWn
plotters laid huge dynamite
charge at the international head
quarters of the CIO-U United Auto
Workers last night, but it failed
to 60 off.
Union officers Immediately
clamped security measures on the
three-story building today.
A box containing 80 sticks Of
dynamite and tied in Christmas
wrapping was removed by police
to their scientific laboratory for
examination. The sticks were
found on little-used outside
stairway leading to the JAW
headquarters basement.
1T was enough to blow up a
city block" one officer said.
Lives of two night employees
and possibly union legislative
representative were endangered.
An explosion might also have in
jured some of the IS persons at
work in the nearby General Mo-
tors research laboratory.
Two Fuses Burned Out.
Police said one of two fuses
leading to the dynamite burned
to within an inch of the charge.
1t went out because it was tapped
too tightly.
The detonator at the end of
the second fuse failed to work.
Emil Macy, JAW secretary
treasurer, ordered all entrances
to the headquarters closed today
except the front doorway. EN-
ployes were alerted to watch for
suspicious persons.
Mr.. Macy then went into con-
ference with Walter Reuther,
JAW president, to discuss further
action.
The dynamite plot was another
in a series of attacks and threats
directed against the union and its
officials. Top police officials be-
lieve Communists are behind it.
$4,000 Reward Offered.
After a hurried conference to-
day, the unions four top officers
announced a $4,000 reward for
information leading to the arrest
Of the plotters.
"This is part of the same cam
paign of terrorism waged over the
last two years by anti-labor, I'M
American elements" said a state
ment from the officers.
whoever is responsible was at
tempting to paralyze the union
and it's activities through fear"
Within less than two years
would-be assassins have tried to
kill two of the JAWS prominent
Reuther brothers.
Walter Reuther was shot by an
unknown assailant in April Of
1948. He has not fully recovered
the use of his arm.
Victor Reuther, the unions
educational director, lost an eye
in similar shotgun attack last
May. Both of the shootings still
are unsolved.
Police Immediately linked last
nights incident with the at
tempts on the Reuthers' lives.
Top Investigators Work.
There is mo doubt" of it. &C
cording to Inspector Joseph A.
Krug of the police special inves-
tigation squad.
Inspector Krug said he was con-
WINGED it was a deliberate attempt
to blow up the building.
THE dynamiter knew what he
was about and he meant business"
the police official said. This was
no scare attempt
Top detectives of the spe-
cial investigation squad were
assigned to the case. An anony-
nous call to Detroit newspaper
man led to what was at first a
vain police search at the union
headquarters.
Later two union employees came
on the wrapped sticks of explosive.
tied up in gay red and white
Christmas paper.
Two 90-inch fuses had been
lighted but had gone out. One
burned to within an eighth of an
inch of its end. One inch re-
manned of the other, Inspector
Krug said.
Reporter Jack Pickering of the
Detroit Times said he had re-
ceived a telephone call about 8
YTAyTY