Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-09
Folsom Bars
Guard Call in
Phone Strike

n AIh3N IA No. TApAA . IN
Gov. James E. Folsom of Ala
bama today refused to call the
National Guard to duty in the
strife-ridden Southern Bell Tele-
phone strike area of Birrning.
ham, but ordered the State high
way patrol reinforced there
Gov. Folsom called news con-
ference at the executive mansion
in Montgomery and told report
erS:
Il do not intend to use the
State militia as a strike-break-
ing organization"
However, he said he intends to
provide ample security in the
Birmingham area" and he APP
pealed to workers and manage
ment alike to maintain non
violent and peaceful picketing."
Asked for Troops
The Governors statement came
in reply to requests from Sheriff
Holt Mcdowell of Jefferson Coun-
ty and Mayor Jap Bryant of
Bessemer for National Guard
troops to preserve order in the
wake of renewed outbreaks OF
strike violence.
Gov. Folsom emphasized that
"any security provided by me as
Governor in the affected areas
will be to protect human lives
first, including those of the work.
ers."
He said he is not excited OVER
recent outbursts of violence land
I don't want anyone else to gel
excited"
He said the reinforced high
way patrol has been instructed to
protect lives land not to take
Sides" I@ts1 a PHI
The Governor also repeated hi.
earlier criticism of the right Of
work" law in Alabama, which
was enacted in 1853 to OUTLAW
the union shop and similar COM
pulsory labor membership agree
mentS.
Denounces Law
Gov. Folsom called it the fright
to wreck" law and said it has
caused more labor unrest in the
less than three months he has
been in Office than in the entire
four years of his first administra-
ton.
''It is my WISH" he told
newsmen, that labor and man.
agement both sit down and get
this over with. If they don't, you
are going to have strikes for
the next four years because l
know labor is not going to allow
their organizations to be wrecked
by any corporation"
Meanwhile, redoubled efforts
were being made in Atlanta to-
day to settle the 27-day-old tel
ephone strike in the wake of
violence or disorder in most of
the nine Southeastern States af-
fected.
In three States - Alabama,
Florida and North Carolina
strikers wers restrained by court
order from mass picketing.
The f1areup of violence and
disorder was widespread.
Lines Dynamited
A blast, apparently from a
dynamite charge. damaged trunk
lines at Chattanooga, Tenn. last
night, and rifle shots near New
Orleans put 1863 long-distance
lines out of order for several
hours. Another cable was cut
at Miami, Fla. the 32d act of
this type of damage since the
strike began.
At Raleigh, N. c., a non-strik-
ing worker told police he was
set upon as he was leaving the
telephone plant, and at Dam
vile, KY, an unruly crowd
hurled eggs and rocks as it
in front of telephone
exchange. It was the first vio-
lence in the strike at Raleigh.
officials of the CLIO Commu-
nications Workers of America
Union have denied repeatedly
that their members have been
responsible for violence or dam
age to company property since
the strike began March IA after
failure to agree on a new con-
tract.
The company announced it
had offered wage increases of
about So million on condition
the union accept a no-strike
clause. the clause which the
company holds is the main bar
to a settlement. The union con-
tends that such a clause is Sec
ondary, that the main issues are
wages and an agreement by the
company to arbitrate all dis
putes.
CkA mn E:.n D.