25 TRUCKS STALLED Union spokesmen said workmen were called off the job at about half of the local freight line depots, while others were permitted to return to work after a brief suspension of operations. The Associated Press reported that at daybreak approximately 25 trucks were stalled on the California side of the Colorado River when drivers climbed from their cabs and asserted they would not drive into Arizona until the Phoenix labor difficulties were settled. About half the trucks were permitted to move into Arizona later, some of them reportedly manned by non-union drivers. Union spokesmen said some truck lines made tentative settlement of the strike demands and that the vehicles were moving with union workmen. REPORT MEN'S ARRIVAL Reports were circulated that squads of union men had been sent here from California to assist in enforcing the strike. H. R. Lown, president and business manager of Phoenix local No. 274, Truck Drivers, Chauffeurs, Teamsters and Helpers union, said the union men seek a 10 per cent increase in pay, a week's vacation with pay for those employed a year, time and a half for overtime, recognition of seniority, operation of a hiring hall and a closed shop. He said truck lines where the strike had been suspended and work resumed "because they've agreed to play along with us" were Meddock Truck Lines, Calizona Truck Lines, System Arizona, Pacific Freight Lines, Blue Diamond Express and Alabams. ON "UNFAIR" LIST Truck lines which he said were still on the "unfair list" at noon were Copper State Freight Lines, Southwestern Freight Lines, Arizona Fast Freight, Western Truck lines and Consolidated shippers. Lown said also that Pat Patterson, business agent of the union at Tucson, had by long distance telephone ordered workmen off the job of the depots of the "unfair" lines at Tucson. ESCORTED TO PHOENIX Five Western Freight lines trucks, which were escorted from Blythe by officers, reached Phoenix Thursday afternoon. They were unloaded at the company's depot without trouble. Approximately 200 men, most of them members of farmers' organizations, stood guard to see that the drivers and freight handlers were not molested. Some of the men were armed with pistols, and others with clubs. One of the non-union drivers who brought the trucks here from Blythe said they were escorted about 25 miles east of the Colorado river by Arizona and California officers. He said striking union drivers made an attempt to rush the trucks as they were leaving Blythe, but failed to stop the vehicles. EXHIBIT 13037 [Copied from the Arizona Gazette of 6/9/39. AWS-MV. 1/24/40] "VIGILANTES" RALLY TO AID TRUCK OPERATORS A group of "vigilantes," who use the name of the Associated Farmers of Maricopa county, two times this week have rallied to the aid of truck line operators when trouble was threatened during labor strikes. A guard was thrown around a trucking firm warehouse near Harrison street and Central avenue Thursday when a strike-breaker brought a truck from Blythe, Calif., in defiance of a strike, which was settled after a 10-hour dispute (Gazette Staff Photo). TENTATIVE PLAN TO ARBITRATE SENDS DRIVERS BACK TO JOBS A tentative plan to arbitrate a strike of dockhands and local truck drivers for freight lines in Phoenix and Tucson was to be made Friday as the men returned to work under terms of a temporary agreement. The strike became serious Thursday when all truck drivers who belong to the American Federation of Labor refused to enter Arizona until a settlement was reached in Phoenix and Tucson. Approximately 25 trucks were temporarily tied up at the Arizona-California border. If operators of 11 truck lines reach an agreement, Riney Salmon, Phoenix attorney, was to represent them in conferences Friday with H. R. Lown, president and business manager of Phoenix local No. 274, Truck Drivers, Chauffeurs, Teamsters and Helpers union, and Pat Paterson, the Tucson union's business agent. The local truck drivers and dockhands are asking a 10 per cent increase in pay, a week's vacation with pay for those employed for a year, time and a half for over-time recognition of seniority, a closed shop and a strict adherence to the hiring hall rule. Union officials said the workmen in Phoenix and Tucson have returned to their jobs on a temporary basis and that they may strike again if a satisfactory agreement is not reached. Only about half the freight lines were seriously affected by the walkout Thursday, because the remainder of the operators agreed to "play along with the union" and men were permitted to remain at work. EXHIBIT 13038 SEPTEMBER 25, 1939. Mr. EDWIN SELVIN, Editor, American-Worker Consumer, I 510 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, California. DEAR MR. SELVIN: Congratulations on the first issue of your splendid paper. think it is the best publication of its type that I have ever been privileged to read, and I base my judgment not only from the standpoint of the reader, but from my own experience of twelve years as a reporter. Editorial and news content is not only well written, but the make up is such that it instantly commands attention. As a matter of fact, I must confess I am somewhat envious that we do not have a similar publication here. There is certainly a crying need for one. The same forces driving on Los Angeles for closed shop, have invaded Phoenix. Our organization is the only group opposing the racketeers, and the only way we can get our message before the public is by paid advertising, and the cost of that is prohibitive. A temporary truce is in effect here following the two day strike of the Teamsters Union last week, pending negotiations. The drive will probably be resumed in earnest on October 15, for the majority of Interstate lines operating out of Phoenix will oppose a closed shop. We shall be glad to keep you informed of our situation here in Phoenix from time to time. Again thanking you for your excellent paper, I remain, Sincerely yours, ASSOCIATED FARMERS OF MARICOPA COUNTY, LA: S 6. SWORN STATEMENT OF WESTERN TRUCK LINES SHOWING CONTRIBUTIONS TO INTERSTATE FREIGHT CARRIERS CONFERENCE AND MERCHANTS AND MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES EXHIBIT 13039 Branch Offices: Bishop, Blythe, Lone Pine, California Branch Offices: Phoenix, Tucson, Arizona; Reno, Nevada WESTERN TRUCK LINES, LTD. 2835 Santa Fe Avenue-Los Angeles, California Charles J. Norona of Los Angeles, California, being duly sworn, deposes and says that: "I am office manager of Western Truck Lines, Ltd. and to the best of my knowledge and belief the following sums have been paid by Western Truck Lines, Ltd. to the following associations for assessments, dues, and proration of certain legal expenses, To Interstate Freight Carriers Conference, Inc. 1935 Dues Assessments 1936. 1937. 1938. 1939. To Merchants & Manufacturers Association. 1936. 1937 1938. 1939 Further deponent sayeth not. Subscribed and sworn to before me this 20th day of January, 1940. [NOTARY'S SEAL] /s/ H. I. MCGLATHERY, Notary Public in and for the County of Los Angeles, State of California. My Commission Expires June 1942. 7. CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE MASS MEETING OF JULY 1939 EXHIBIT 13040 FOX MOVIETONE, Hollywood, Calif. M-G-M NEWS REEL, Hollywood, Calif. PATHE NEWS REEL, Hollywood, Calif. (Send the following straight wire to the above three addresses and charge to the sender.) Three to five thousand militant farmers to hold mass meeting and barbecue at State Fairgrounds here Sunday evening with large delegations coming from all over State and El Paso Texas Stop Nationally known speakers will out line campaign against Pacific coast labor racketeers Stop Large number of Government officials will attend should make good news shots Stop If no local representative you can make it by plane ASSOCIATED FARMERS OF MARICOPA COUNTY. Our address: 259 Adams Hotel, Phoenix 3-6783. EXHIBIT 13041 JULY 20, 1939. Colonel WALTER GARRISON, Lodi, California. DEAR COLONEL GARRISON: Just a word to express to you the appreciation of the Officers and the members of the Associated Farmers of Maricopa County, for your splendid assistance in making our recent Mass Meeting the success it was. The reaction since the meeting has been tremendous. As a direct result we have received more than two hundred new members and applications for membership are coming in in every mail. Publicity was carried throughout the state, most of it very favorable. In fact only one newspaper has expressed itself as being opposed to this Organization and its policies, and that is the Arizona Daily Star, published in Tucson, Arizona. Other Associated Farmers groups will undoubtedly be organized in this State, preliminary steps for such an organization having already been taken by a group of men from Prescott Yavapai County. We plan to have other meetings from time to time, and sincerely hope that we can again have you participate on one of our programs. Again thanking you for your excellent assistance, I remain Secretary-Manager, Associated Farmers of Imperial County, DEAR MR. OSBORNE: I am taking the liberty of answering your kind letter to our good friend Emmett Graham, and join with him in expressing the sincere appreciation of our entire organization for your excellent assistance in making our Mass Meeting the success it was. I might say the reaction from that meeting has been tremendous. We obtained more than two hundred new members as a direct result of the meeting itself, and applications for membership are coming in in every mail. Wide publicity was received throughout the State, most of it favorable. In the mass of clippings that we have received from our clipping bureau, only one newspaper out of fifty in the State is in opposition to our Association and its program, and that is the Arizona Daily Star, published in Tucson. Another result of the meeting will be the formation of other Associated Farmers groups in Arizona. Preliminary steps have already been taken by a group in Prescott, Yavapai County, and we too feel that it will not be long until there is a solid front extending east to El Paso and beyond. Here are the names and addresses of our official family, as requested in your letter: Kemper Marley, Route #9, Box 393, Phoenix, Clifford Dobson, Vice President, Route #2, Mesa, John Norton, Secretary-Treasurer, 603 Security Building, Lawrence Andrews, Field Secretary, 259 Adams Hotel, Patricia Scully, Office Secretary, 259 Adams Hotel, Phoenix. If you desire at any time to communicate direct with our good friend Emmett Graham, you may reach him at the E. V. Graham Advertising Company, 623 Title and Trust Building. We have tried on several occasions without success, to get a complete list of all the Associated Farmers Groups of California, together with names of the Secretaries, and I am wondering if you would be so kind as to try to get that list for us, as we would like to put the various groups on our mailing list. Again thanking you for all that you have done for us, I remain Sincerely yours, ASSOCIATED FARMERS OF MARICOPA COUNTY, LA: S By EXHIBIT 13043 JULY 21, 1939. Mr. GEORGE O. SMITH, 540 Van Nuys Building, Los Angeles, California. DEAR MR. SMITH: Just a word to you to express the appreciation of the officers and members of the Associated Farmers of Maricopa County, for your splendid assistance in making our recent Mass Meeting the success it was. The reaction since the meeting has been tremendous. As a direct result we have received more than two hundred new members and applications for membership are coming in in every mail. Publicity was carried throughout the State, most of it very favorable. In fact, only one newspaper has expressed itself as being opposed to this organization and its policies, and that is the Arizona Daily Star, published in Tucson, Arizona. Other Associated Farmers groups will undoubtedly be organized in this state, preliminary steps for such an organization having already been taken by a group of men from Prescott, Yavapai County. We plan to have other meetings from time to time, and sincerely hope that we can again have you participate on one of our programs. Again thanking you for your excellent assistance, I remain, Sincerely yours, DEAR MR. BALLANTYNE: Thank you for your kind letter of July 21 to Mr. Kemper Marley, President of our Organization, also for the pamphlet containing a copy of "An Argument for and Against Anti-Picketing Law in Oregon." A threat of Labor Organizations to invade the field of agriculture and allied industries here is a serious one, and we know that any such an invasion will be accompanied by a wave of violence similar to that which has brought chaos to the Pacific Coast. We are very keenly interested in the Oregon Law and note with satisfaction that it was up-held in every respect by a three judge Circuit Court in that State in a recent decision. Recent dispatches indicate that Labor plans to carry the battle to the United States Supreme Court. Should that tribunal refuse to review the case and should it sustain the Oregon courts, I am quite confident that our Organization will give serious consideration to a similar initiative measure. |