Another similar dispute took place lat Kohler City, home of the Kohler Joo.. plant, which makes many JAmeriea's bathtubs, washstands, and plumbing fxtures. "The town /has been called the workers' paradise. But even Paradise had its, troubles. Walter J. Kohler was one of the best type of American employers. He built houses for his workers at cost, formed building association through which they obtained first and second mortgages. Up li 1991 he had managed fo keep his men on full pay despite the depression. Then he imposed wage culs. Last August, for the first ime, men were laid off. At once 2 local AP.L. union was. established, followed later by a company union. Early in July this year the API. lunfon demanded the sole right represent the workers. "Better hours Jand wages were also demanded. Mr. Kohler might have compromised on straight forward wage {ssue, but he would not recognize the AFL. as the sole representative of his Workers. "A thousand men, holding Hour rope, surrounded the plant and Prevented any workers from entering. 'About 200: men were imprisoned inside the plant. Food was sent them by parcel post and the pickets, knowing. That they ould not' legally prevent the Federal government carrying out its normal functions, were unable to prevent the deliveries. An attempt to storm the plant and evict the workers there led to gunfire and the [death of a strike picket. labour troubles started, five men have been killed and scores injured. The main question there once more was.
special police were killed by strike Union "recognition. Last, May, two Plekets before a truce was patched Up. It lasted a little over a month When the men were out again. Their Tain demand was for the right to speak for inside workers, as well as rivers, and for higher pay. Wholesale merchants demanded police protection for food trucks which "the non-union drivers were terrified of driving.
'One of these trucks, convoyed by police cars, was chased by a truck filled with' pickets. The picket car swerved in front of the food. truck fond brought it to a half. Other strikers gathered and for a time the police appeared powerless to save the truck from being overturned and the food destroyed. Pickets were. warned and a volley from riot guns fired in the air. The pickets reply was to crack the nearest policeman fon the head. The police fired again and. 50 pickets were wounded, two Gied later. The Rev. Francis Haas, Federal mediator, was powerless Governor Floyd B. Olson. declared. martial law, forbade picketing and. moved food trucks under police profection. Private ears were still molest-fed and in an accident, caused by the driver attempting to avoid a picket, another jan was added to the death Fall, "The most satisfactory feature about all these trikes is that they are not evolutionary, aot even political, The most violent striker is proud of his organized by the Soviet Academy of 'Sciences this summer. Many of them are expeditions of several years' duration, working all the year, oF seasonally, as conditions permit.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.