February 13 Martial Law Declared to Crush Workers

On this day in labor history, the year was 1937.

That was the day Indiana Governor, M. Clifford Townsend, dispatched State National Guard troops to Anderson, Indiana.

The national strike against GM had just ended in victory for the union two days earlier.

UAW forces were emboldened by the militancy, solidarity and public support for the union in Flint. But Anderson was a company town.

It was home to GM’s Guide Lamp and Delco-Remy divisions.

GM employed over 11,000 of the town’s 40,000 residents.

Guide Lamp workers struck in late December and Delco-Remy plants closed to prevent sit-downs.

Foremen visited workers in their homes, demanding signatures for back-to-work petitions.

The Citizens League for Industrial Security whipped almost half the town into an anti-union frenzy.

The entire month of January was so marred by anti-union violence and intimidation, the strike had to be abandoned.

When the national strike ended, the UAW organized a victory meeting.

It was held virtually under siege by an anti-union mob.

Victor Reuther recalled he aged 10 years that night.

Anti-union violence broke out the next evening at the Gold Band Tavern.

The bar owner shot and wounded at least 10 UAW members.

Union backup headed to Anderson. Fearing UAW forces, the Indiana National Guard was deployed and Madison County was placed under martial law for 10 days.

In the classic history of the Flint Sit-Down, Sidney Fine explains that anti-union sentiment began to break down once workers learned GM had been forced to eliminate incentive pay.

The union newspaper proclaimed: “The men and women who fought on the picket line; who withstood the terror of the vigilantes; who kept their faith under trying conditions; these people changed the conditions in the shops.”