Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-05
THE STRIKES SECRETS.
A Philosophical Labor Leaders Views
of the Late Failure.
WHY 1T COULDN'T BE SUCCESSFUL.
The Time Poorly Chosen and Too Little FL
nancial Help in Sight.
WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED

A philosophical labor leader of an analyt-
ical mind yesterday summed up the situa-
tion and from the wreck of the late strike
derived some grim satisfaction. He says
the utter collapse of the carpenters strike
will eventually make its union effective, or
else it will cease to exist at all, and the
latter contingency he does not admit He
refused to allow himself to be quoted, as he
said he didn't want lot of men maddened
by defeat running after him until they had
had time to recognize the soundness of his
position. In the first place, he stated that
of the 1874 men who went ont on strike
1927 were still out on Thursday. Neither
Gompers nor Mcclure accomplished any,
thing worth talking of, as So, 700 week
were necessary to support the movement
and all it received in nine weeks was 5000
from the backing of the first named and
So, 700 from the latter. The war could not
be prosecuted without money and last Mon
day the Exchequer was exhausted and sur
render became a necessity.
The insufficient Funds at Hand.
At the beginning of the strike the carpen-
ters unions had only SIG, 900 in their treas
ury, though their membership is $4,000.
Even this $4,000 was not applicable, as
it composed the insurance fund and
in a membership of $4,000 such fund is
drawn upon weekly. This $4,000 could
not be legally used if desire to use it had
existed in the entire organization. Now
individual local union treasures are scooped
dry of both defense and insurance funds.
Outside support amounted to very lit
Al IL
they could and are each out $500
or 1890, 900 altogether. Flint Glass
Blowers Union No. 4 gave 500 individ-
ually, and the Amalgamated Association
could do nothing. Some of the strikers
feel particularly displeased with the action
of the National Flint Glass Blowers Asso-
citation, as they wanted to borrow $40, 900
from it, and couldn't get it without giving
land security, and then the associa-
tion only offered to lend $1,000. The
carpenters spurned the offers, both
first aud second, as 5000 was of no
use and as to the larger amount, if they
could have had it on the terms demanded, it
could have been rejected as the same might
be had at any bank with funds to loan. The
strikers did not want the publicity, such
transaction would give or they would have
gone to the banks regularly. They did not
want the world to know that the fight must
be made on credit
No Help From the National Union
'The carpenters unions claim to have
80, 900 members. An assessment of 25 cents
head was made four weeks ago. This
ought to have yielded $4,000, but not a
cent came from the National Union. The
result of it all is that the carpenters are
badly whipped and more or less demoral-
lied, but take considerable comfort out of
the situation, as believe the defeat will
ultimately benefit them, and the disastrous
result of the present movement has been or
will be lesson to labor generally on the
necessity of knowing how to do it.
'sYou ask me what would have done?
Well in the first place I would not have
allowed strike until the men were
able to make a long fight, if neces-
sary mainly on their own resources. They
had a right, of course, to expect material
as well as moral support from their guild,
and also in extremity from other organiza-
tions, but this should always be considered
as last resort. Then L would not allow
factions. The strikers split, while the
Builders Exchange presented a solid front,
and further, the striking carpenters did
not have overly much sympathy
ers should have calculated the desperate
chances against them in such battle.
Builders who had taken contracts long be-
fore should have been expected to make a
desperate resistance, tor the success of the
movement meant their ruin. / couldn't cry
for some of them, but / recognize their right
to every advantage they could get in such a
struggle.
The Time Not Well Chosen.
"Any man of intelligence knew that the |
time was lily chosen. Money had |
been scarce for six months and |
trade dropping for eight months. |
Again, the strike of one class of building |
mechanics for eight hours, while another |
class necessarily employed on the same
work was willing to work nine, verged on
stupidity. Suppose contractor had 20 or
80 bricklayers at work and the carpenters
quit an hour before them on day when
joists were to be put up or window frames
set, do you suppose contractor would
want those 20 or 80 bricklayers standing
around idle an hour waiting on the carpen-
tiers, the wages of the former running? If
common cause had been made in this mat
ter the carpenters position would have
been greatly strengthened.
sThese things should all have been con-
sidered, and the carpenters should have had
a treasury sufficient to support them during
a long war. Take the flint glass workers,
for instance, with S120, 900 in their treasury.
If they strike they can do so with little
fear of the consequence, should the contest
be prolonged. They can go into their fish
ing camps and live cheaply, and enjoy
without apprehension. As long
as a man is we'll fed and is not feeding on
credit he can enjoy a vacation.
Da,,,., Dot.. 70 M;nnaanoIis Via PenusyI- !