The state herald., 1893-04-14
A NARROW ESCAPE.
BIG STRIKE At CHICAGO.

All Union Men ut Work for the Worlds
Fair Ordered Out,
An order was Issued by the officers Of the
building trades directing all union men at
work on the Worlds Fair buildings to strike
on the 10Th.
Between 5000 and G,000 men, representing
all OF the building trades, will be affected.
The order TO strike was Issued Saturday by A.
p. Russell, president Of the Building Trades
Council Of that city. Mr.. Russell and his as
slstants were hard at work all day Informing
the different trades unions Of the decision
reached by the board OF delegates. The
board OF delegates representing the building
trades ~ the fair grounds held secret meet
Ing all day Saturday. The result OF the meet
Ing was the ordering of strike. During the
| meeting manifesto was drawn up, n copy OF
which was sent TO President Hlginbothani late
Saturday night, The manifesto Is resume
OF the relations which have existed between
the exposition company and organized labor.
1t charges the exposition officials with bad
faith in refusing to submit to arbitration the
demands OF the Building Trades Council that
all non-union men now at work be dismissed
Dor at issue.
President Higinbotham declares that the
demand will not be entertained, even II II Is
found necessary TO open the fair In an un-
finished condition. He claims that 1t was
agreed two years ago that union and poa.
union men should he hired indisc riminately,
as the Building Trades Council nd mltted at
be time It could not furnish enough men TO
build the Fair
The local directors refuse TO reopen this
question, although they are willing to submit
any dispute not covered by previous agree
ment to arbitration. Mr.. Higinb otham says
the men ut the Fair grounds are getting the
highest pay in the history of organized labor,
that the workmen are we'll satisfied with
present conditions, and that In his opinion
the great majority of them will refuse to obey
the order of the officers of the labor organizs-
lions 10 strike
Dispatches sent out from Chicago Monday
night state that the great strl Ike which i'm
pcried the success of the exposition came to
an end as suddenly as It began, The trades
| council asked for arbitration, and the Coun-
ell OF Administration demanded an immedl-
ate conference The two bodies accordingly
held joint meeting and at 10 p. IN. agreed
upon basis Of compromise, which was sub
| stantlal victory for the Fair. The trades
council agreed 10 allow non.un lon men TO
work, upon the understanding that all work
| men were 10 receive the amount OF wages re-
| quired by the rules OF each trade orgnnIza-
| tion.
1t was close call for the exposition, not
only for Its opening but for its success. The
work Of the men who struck to-day is nearly
over, and while they could not have ruined
the Fair they might, by stopping the work. so
have delayed matters that the exposition could
not have been In complete readiness by the
first OF May.
The strike was an attempt 10 unionlzc the
Fair, nothing more, nothing less. Two years
ago. when the labor representatives made n
demand that none but union men should be
employed at the Fair, they were asked II they
could guarantee that the unions could fur.
nish enough men at all tlmes TO enable the
work 10 be prosecuted without, delay. After
taking account Of stock they were forced To
enough to furnish all the men the exposition
might require, They were then Informed by
the national commission that the govern mcnt
could not and would not discriminate against
men because they were or were not members
OF any labor organization. This ended the
argument on the union question and the mat
ter wss dismissed by common consent