CLASH IN WALL STREET

Chronicle (Levin), 1 April 1948, Page 5

CLASH IN WALL STREET

-Reuter,

Striking Stock Exchange len And P6|ice .

(N.Z.P.A.-

Copyright)

lieet-iv e-d \veuxiesday, /.U .p.in. A ij.Vv l Oiiiv, lUarcii 30, A bloody anu xurxous Uattle between pJCivetK anii poxice rageU ior 15 lixinuiea .n' Vv ad feurcuL touay axier piciiets xiaii .jjiawiod on me x'uoipath in iront of tne MLUCiv LU XOi'iii a. .lUuian uarm-aue ag'ainSt nonstrikers. ihe frauas siarted when striKmg lin .uicial woi'Kei's and liysky seamen who aio supporting' the strike, began tneii seconu uay's pu-ketiug of tlie Biock Exehauge, iVitn ctubs swingiug the police trieu to clear a piytli to the Exchange doors out the pickets — who included sevei'a. w f.ijien — llung themseJves to the grouint. Amid the screaius of tlie women' tlie police trieil to drag theni to their feet. Fists tlew, police Patons whirled and oolice wrestled on the street.

Hioi squads rushed to the scene roped off Wall .Street and coniiuaiideered privatt, telephoues for police use. After 1 o ntinutes the police bundled 35 struggling pickets, some bloodspattered, into olack niarias. Ten pickets and two policcinen were 'injured. Tliree of the injured, iiicluding a detective witli his s.-alp so severely gashed that-it needed eleven stitclies, were sent to hospital. 'ihere was a tense husli all day in Wall StVeet as niounted police patrolled in close forniation. Roars of "Scab! iloneybags! " arose from pickets as non-strike-rs tiled from the Imilding' when the Exchange close. i but there was no furtlier violence. Unioii leaders later issned statements charging tlie ] >o lice witli " brutal, sadistic condpct." Mr. .T. Lewis Ilutchings, secretarv of the striking 1'nited Financial E111ployees' Union, declared: "If they want Idood they will get blood and it vvon 't a'l lie ours. ' ' klr. Fhnil Schram, Stock Exchange president, said: "1 deeplv regret that the riot occurred. The Flxcliange will U'lke everv precaution to meet the situation peaceabl v. " The strikers want weekly wage ini- reases of Jt to 15 dollars and have rejected the Exchange 's otfer of rises of 3 to 5 dollars. Two Seamen 's unions are supporting the striking Stock Ex'•han"o workers. Tlie police said niost of those arrested were seamen.