The Indianapolis journal., 1892-02-16

trade here and the causes and progress OF
the strike. and report to the executive
board"
What do you propose to doF' was asked.
have tonight been talking with our
striking members here in order to get at
the facts in the case. as they view the mat
ter: In the morning i will call upon the
railroad officials. and seek to talk the mat
ter over with them. hear since coming
here that this road is very much
averse to treating with employees in organ
lied capacity. but hope TO got hearing.
Our organization is n most conservative
one. and we never strike if we can help it.
In this case 1t was either refuse to work by
the piece or violate our international con-
stitutlon. We educate our members
to discountenance strikes wherever
possible. and TO favor arbitration.
Nobody realizes better than we that the
prosperity of both sides depends upon q
harmonious feeling between the parties"
Ing some timein
There has been some dissatisfaction
with the piece-work system. Our constitu-
tion prohibits US from beginning 1T. and the
time has come for rs to take q firm stand
against the spreading of the system. We
cannot If we can help il, let it grow further
1t Is only new way of cutting down our
wages. IL Is true 1t has been gaining
gradually upon US, coming West from the
East bat now it ought 70 stop. The sys-
wan N"S" NV plCNhll III tu6 SOutu VI tH6
country vest of Indiana. We are organized
perfectly In the South, where the order
etarted, and in Illinois our organization
is almost perfect. But 1t is harderIto or
ganize In the East, and we have not SO
many unions there. But every town. ex-
cept one. on the Pennsylvania system is
well organized. The solIdity of the organ
lzation IN the West and South has prevent
ed the adoption of pIece-work there"
What Is to be your pOlicyp
1t would not be In form TO tell our line
OF action to the public just yet. If il comes
to the worst we have few moves that we
Will make, we hope, with success. The
order Is pretty strong. and we are united in
this opposition to piece-work. In the
United States. Canada and old Mexico we
have membership of $4,000. Our treasury
Is full, and there has been no call upon it
for strike benefits for long time. We are
able to take care of the boys for q while.
anyhow. The married men get SS
week and the single men s. week dur
ing the time of the trouble. And If any of
them want to 60 to work in other cities we
can find jobs for them. There are no other
strikes in progress, the last having oc-
Cured year or so ago in Plttsburg. and
also in Richmond. Va. The men
and made gains IN Richmond. and
the expense was borne by voluntary
contributions of the members without
touching the treasury. But still we al
prefer to settle our troubles in friendly
way. What will happen depends upon our
executive board. after they receive my re-
port"
Mr.. Lamb will remain in the city for SOW
eral days or until ordered home. He gained
q pretty fair understanding. it is said, of
the strikers side of the case. So much
had been said by the officials of the
company about the Altoona shops. that w.
M. Milford was sent there to investigate.
He found the machinists there have O
union of $50 members. and are just as much
opposed, he reports. TO piece-work as ma
chinists are here. When asked If they
wonld be called out, Mr.. Milford said:
"You will find out in time. If the COM
pany thinks we are mapping we will sur
prise 1t somewhat: can't answer your
question tonight"
1t is thought the company's policy will
be to close down the shop until the men
scatter to other points. or get other jobs,
and then fill it with non union men. There
has seemingly been no effort to run in nom
union men to do the work that presses to
be done.