Page:United Press release relating to the walkout of white welders at the Pinto Island shipyards at the Alabama Dry Dock... - NARA - 281527.tif/1



BK GA 1 X

MOBILE, ALA,, MAY 27--(UP)--A GENERAL WALKOUT OF WHITE WELDERS AT THE PINTO ISLAND SHIPYARDS OF ALABAMA DRYDOCK AND SHIPBUILDING COM- PANY THREATENED TODAY AS AN AFTERMATH OF A DISTURBANCE MONDAY BETWEEN WHITE AND NEGRO WORKERS AT THE PLANT.

ACCORDING TO RELIABLE REPORTS COMING FROM THE ISLAND, MEMBERS OF THE CIO WELDERS' UNION BEGAN WALKING OFF THE JOB DURING THE MORNING IN WHAT WAS JUDGED A PROTEST AGAINST THE RETURN OF NEGROES TO WORK ON THE MORNING SHIFT.

SEVERAL THOUSAND NEGRO WORKERS WERE SENT HOME FROM THE YARD FOLLOW- ING MONDAY*S OUTBREAK AND VERY FEW RETURNED BEFORE LAST NIGHT WHEN THEY BEGAN TO SHOW UP IN LARGER NUMBERS. AN UNDETERMINED NUMBER APPEAR ED FOR WORK ON THE DAY SHIFT THIS MORNING.

THE WELDERS--WHO COULD VIRTUALLY HALT THE COMPANY'S SHIPBUILDING PROGRAM IF THEY STRIKE--WERE SAID TO BE LAYING DOWN THEIR TOOLS AND LEAVING SINGLY AND IN SMALL GROUPS.

MEANWHILE COMPANY OFFICIALS AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES WERE TAKING EVERY PRECAUTION TO PREVENT THE TENSE SITUATION FROM FLARING INTO OPEN VIOLENCE BETWEEN THE WHITES AND NEGROES.

THE SHIPYARD WAS DESCRIBED AS BEING "FULL OF CIVILIAN POLICE OF EVERY DESCRIPTION" AND A NUMBER OF SOLDIERS FROM NEARBY BROOKLEY FIELD WERE STANDING GUARD DUTY WITHIN THE PLANT.

THE TROUBLE, WHICH ASSUMED NEAR RIOT PROPORTIONS WHEN NEGRO AND WHITE WORKERS WERE ORDERED MONDAY TO WORK SIDE BY SIDE, WAS ATTRI- BUTED BY SHIPYARD PRESIDENT D. R. DUNLAP TO THE UP-GRADING OF NEGO WORKERS ON INSTRUCTIONS FROM PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND TO "FALSE RUMORS."

AK1127A..