MELEE WITH STRIKERS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24814, 2 March 1946, Page 7

MELEE WITH STRIKERS

General Electric Dispute

POLICE ROUT MASS PICKETS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m ) NEW YORK. Feb. 28. In a club-swinging melee lasting 30 minutes, police on horse-back. nW)torcycles, and patrol-cars routed 3000 strikers and sympathisers from the vicinity of the General Electric plant, says the Philadelphia correspondent of the Associated Press. The police, endeavouring to enforce the prohibition imposed by the Court on mass picketing, knocked down at least 20 persons, and arrested 17 on charges of incitement to riot. Several hours later, 5000 men and women threw a solid line of marcher* round the City hall in what the union called a protest demonstration against police brutality. The Governor of Pennsylvania (Mr Edward Martin) said the State police were ready to maintain order and appeal for federal troops if necessaryThe police said 800 marbles were picked up at the scene of the morning skirmish and claimed that the strikers threw them to make police horses slip. Several mounts fell, but the animals and riders escaped injury. The union claimed that the police used sneezing powder to make the marchers break ranks.