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The shout of 60,000 men punctuated the words of Orator Martin, who was followed by other union speakers. At last it was over and with a final roar, the crowd began to drift away. Soon only the sound of trolleys and of automobile horns disturbed Cadillac Square, and Detroit breathed easier. But the crisis was not passed. It was moving on in other places and other ways. A telegram from Governor Murphy had sped that day to Walter Chrysler in Manhattan and John L. Lewis in Washington. The Governor called attention to the fact that the courts had ordered the Chrysler plants evacuated, asked them both to come to see him in Lansing at once.
Answering telegrams sped back. From John L. Lewis two sentences: "Your message suggests that I confer under duress. Nevertheless and notwithstanding, I agree to be present." From Walter Chrysler came 700 words making two chief points: "The Chrysler Corporation cannot enter into any arrangement which will have the effect of forcing any of its employes against their will into any organization of labor. . . . With respect to ... the execution of the order of the Wayne County Court requiring the vacating of our seized plants ... we will not enter into any trade to get the men out of the plants. ... I shall expect the discussion of this aspect of the situation to lie between you and Mr. Lewis. The duty of enforcing the law does not rest upon the Chrysler Corporation. . . . You may expect to see. me tomorrow."
Next morning as Messrs. Chrysler and Lewis entered Governor Murphy's office they saw the heads of the Michigan National Guard and the State Police waiting in the outer office. The slender Governor sat down with his two guests, one., formerly a coal miner, the other formerly a machinist, both now masters of men with the lines of years and success in their faces, their husky bodies now encased not in overalls but in powder blue suits of almost identical shades. The Governor chatted a few minutes, then got up and left the two protagonists of the strike together.
"Your name's Clyde Beatty" [the lion & tiger man], said Chrysler Vice President B. E. Hutchinson as the Governor told what he had done.
Early in the evening the first news came to the embattled strikers in the Chrysler plants in Detroit. Men came running to the gates from nearby saloons where radios were playing. Governor Murphy had announced that John L. Lewis agreed toy evacuate the plants. Soon newsboys appeared with extras. The strikers looked at the sheets, angry and incredulous. It was true: John Lewis promised to evacuate all Chrysler plants at once and Walter Chrysler promised that no attempt would be made to resume operations until negotiations were over. "We might just as well not have sat down at all," said an angry striker. "We've been sold out."