One person was sent to the hospital and five were arrested as the result of a clash today between members of the Histadruth, Palestine labor federation, and unorganized workers in the Poel Hamizrachi colony in Emek Zebulun.
The riot was precipitated, according to eyewitnesses, when Histadruth members attacked employees of Hamakshir, a cooperative agricultural contracting company which was working the land.
The Histadruth members were incensed over the refusal of Hapoel Hamizrachi, an orthodox labor organization, to halt the work until the Histadruth could negotiate with the organization for the transfer of the contract to a company employing Histadruth members.
Moshe Bornstein, one of the non-union Hamakshir workers, was wounded. He was taken to the Hadassah hospital here. Five Histadruth members, charged with inciting to riot, were held in jail without bail.
The riot evoked considerable excitement here. Newspapers commented at length. Haaretz, conservative daily, published an editorial accusing the Histadruth members of acting hastily and confusing issues.
Davar, labor daily, laid the blame at the door of Hamakshir, declaring that it is competing with Histadruth and attempting to lower wages scales.
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