Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-03-03

Works The report ran through the city
like quicksilver, and coming right on the
heels of the great Malleable Iron COmpany'>
lockout, was everywhere discussed with the
most breathless interest. The report was not
generally believed al first, but as struggling
workmen who had been discharged made
their appearance down town and gave de-
tailed report of their discharge. the rumor
soon developed into a fact. Around the
hotels, street corners and other public re
sorts, knots of men gathered To discus the
report, and all admitted thegravity of the
situation. Within four days about LOCO
men have been discharged and quit, repre-
sentin population of al least 1000 souls
a small city in itself. How the
DISCHARGE wtS ACCOMPLISHED
| is told by the mel. rs follows: We had
been aware for some time that Mr..
| Whiteley objected to employing knights
Of Labor or members of labor organ
| izations. and the result yesterday was no
very great surprise Ia us. The discharge
was accomplished in the following manner:
!
various departments of the works, carrying
with them blank sheets of paper with a
line ruled through the center They asked
each man his name, and then said. Are
You a Knight of Labor" His answer. YES
or no. was then entered opposite to his
name If his name was John Smith, and
he said he was knight the foreman
would write, John Smith. Yes No
more was said, but when evening came,
all men who had admitted their member
shin in the Knights of Labor were paid of
and informed that their services were no
longer required. Those whose time could
he calculated were baid off last night, and
the cashier was kept busy paying the rest
off this morning. The action taken came
like q bOmbshell on the men. and they were
dazed for time. A large additional num-
Der of the men quit this morning"
In order to get perfectly reliable state
ment of the affair from the firms stand
point a GLOBE-REPUBIIC reporter had a
long interview with VIM. H. whlteley al
his residence this morning. He talked
very freely on the subject, and thus defined
the firms position on the subject which he
declares to be immOyable. He said
MIR wHITELEN'S POSITION.
We found that the Knights of Labor or
gamization had at different places through
out the country forcibv intertered with
business. and many persons who did not
suit their ways Of doing business and could
not be induced to accede TO their demands
were bovcOtted or not allowed 10 employ
other labor: that by intimidation and false
statements they had Influenced many men
TO 60 into the organization: that in the case
of the Massey Manufacturing Com
panv at Toronto. Canada, who
manufacture our Champion machine
under a royalty, that while men were. III
fact, satisfied. they had been waited upon
by Knights of Labor in other branches of
labor (brick masOns. for instance), and COM
PEELED ~ 20 out, whereas the men them
selves wanted TO stay. In the case of Ne
Cormack, at Chicago, although the demand
of the men for higher wages was acceded
10. they yet demanded that five nOn-union
men, who worked in the factory. be dis
charged 1t became evident that by over
persuasion and other means they We're in
ducing men in Springfield To JOIN the
association, for what purpose the men them
selves did not know; and in short time il
was evident that they would have dealt
with us. as in other towns. and would
would have destroyed our bu>i-
ness. There were plenty of good
loyal men who wanted work.
but the Knights of Labor became So aggreS-
sve in this city. that these men were con-
Stantly interfered with. in the factory and
out of the factory. II 'rrS herCf"re de
! cided that IRE irish {" run our fdctOrU witI-
om men stCorn Ia join their fortunes 'rih
PERSONS. trh0 might attempt Ia interfere
,Cih our business. Therefore, in the in
this course We would say that We have
no word of fault to find with our late en-
ployrs as independent men, 10 think and
act for themselves; but when they arr
banded together. and under the direction of
such leaders as have been destructive of
business in other places, we believe that
the workmen in this, as in other places.
would find themselves obliged TO do acts
which no independent. prudent. careful.
thinking man would attempt We arc "p-
posed 3" GU combinations Gf cdpttHt. tHbor
or mon0polu and bcliere that crerU con-
Germ, as reU az CrCrV indiridw"i. Sh"Wld
stand on his merits.
This defines our position in brief. We
shall be running with full supply of hands
/ in a short time. We have seen the storm
! gathering for some time. and were ready to
meet it. think the number of discharged
men was about 27O, though a number quit
| this morning. These were such as are
| friends of the Knights, or as have been in
timidated from fears of violence. We have
acted for ourselves alone. and | do not
( know whether the other manufacturers will
follow our example or not"
The above interview gives the firms po-
sition exactly. Advertisements have been
/ inserted in the papers of all neighboring
! towns calling for wOrkmen. The following
| is double loaded advertisement clipped
! from this mornings Ohio State Journal at
| Columbus.
WORK FOR \ THOUSAND MEN.
Wanted. one thousand good. loyal work
men, who are independent of all knights
of Labor and Trade. Union" associations.
BlackSmithS mOldprS, machiniStS Carpen-
/ tiers and painters. Good wages and steady
employment
| CuAMpIox II lRvE<TING MACHINE WORMS
Springfield, ohio.
/ John H. Thomas was seen by a GLOBE
RErUBIIC reporter this morning, and
asked whether the action of the proprietorS
of the East street works in discharging their