LABOUR TROUBLE

Southland Times, Issue 21822, 27 September 1932, Page 5

LABOUR TROUBLE

MINERS IN ILLINOIS UNEMPLOYED ATTACK WORKERS POLICE OFFICER KILLED (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 8.5 p.m.) Springfield (Illinois), September 26. As the culmination of the labour disorders at Benton, a thousand unemployed miners attacked a hundred workers who accepted reduced wages. Many shots were fired and one police officer was killed and a score or more of men on both sides were injured, many seriously. The slain officer was one of a heavily armed detail which was thrown as a barricade about the headquarters of the United Mine Workers when a frenzied crowd attempted to seize union officials following a street fight.

A message published on August 26 last stated: The Benton (Illinois) correspondent of the New York Times says that several are reported to be killed and many were injured when police officers checked an advance guard of an army of striking coalminers, estimated at between 10,000 and 25,000, who were invading Franklin County in an attempt to “persuade” 1200 miners who are continuing work, despite a wage cut from six dollars ten cents per day to five dollars, to join their movement. Automobile caravans of strikers converged on Franklin throughout the day from neighbouring communities. Traffic police attempted unsuccessfully to re-route them in a different direction. Three hundred officers and specially deputized sheriffs armed with revolvers, rifles and ma-chine-guns prepared to resist the invasion and to protect the working miners. The situation was admittedly serious with the early mobilization of the National Guard, and a declaration of martial law is believed likely. The strikers, among whom are many women, declared themselves unarmed. However, they were in a bitter mood when warned that they would not be permitted to enter the county. They sent back word that “We are coming on. You can’t kill all of us.” It is believed that the main body encamped overnight preparatory to starting picketing when the miners start work on Thursday morning.