The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-07-26
COOPERATION.
To Affiliate and Demand Re-adjust-
rent of Wages May I, 1895.
The American Railway Union and the
American Labor Union-The Latter Con-
sist of Every Class of Labor Outside
of the Railways-Debs' Idea.

sist of Every Class of Labor Outside
of the Railways-Debs Idea.
CHICAGO, July 23.--The Herald prints
a long article giving in detail the plans
of the American Railway union to alb
sorb the older railway brotherhoods,
and the recently organized American
Labor union, to take every class of
labor except railway employees, the
two organizations to affiliate and be
prepared by May 1, 1895, to demand a
readjustment of wages to the basis ex-
listing prior to the panic and hard times,
and in the event of refusal to order
general walkout.
The articles continues:
"Some broad statements in this con-
nection were made by officials of the
American Railway union headquarters,
as follows: That on or about January
Is, 1895. there would be held in Chicago
a convention composed of representa-
tive men of the American Railway
union, the United Mine Workers of
North America, the Knights of Labor
and American Labor union; the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor and the old
railway brotherhoods would not be rep
resented in this convention; that at this
convention all branches of labor repre-
sented would be called on to present a
succinct report as to the then existing
wage scales, and how much they have
been cut in 1892, 1893 and 1894; that
these wage scales should then be formu.
lated, and be presented to the corpora
L.
that they be readjusted to the basis
existing prior to the panic and hard
times, and that if this demand was not
granted general walkout should fol-
low May 1, 1885,
"As one officer of the A. R. U. put it:
The present strike will never be de-
clared off by Mr.. Debs, and we expect,
If the Chicago switchmen remain firm,
that the Chicago roads will eventually
compromise on basis satisfactory to
all. The present strike not being de-
clared off, a convention of the charac-
ter described will be entirely in place,
and will bring together at that time
the strongest labor organization in
the world. There will be a full
analysis of wage scales before any
demand is made on capital for a
change, and the east will be as strongly
represented in the new labor organiza-
tions then as the west is now. The
movement of May /, 1895, then, will be
only Reinforcement of the strike be.
gun on June 26, 1894
"In this plan much is expected of the
new American labor union, whose
membership is now claimed to be 1000,
and has opened it's ranks to every class
of labor except railroad employees.
"Those behind the plan for the jan
uary convention expect the acquittal
of Debs by the courts, and that follow
ing this, he will make a tour of the
east, delivering speeches and organic
ing branches of his order, while cam
paigners from the American Labor
union will follow him to make inroads
into the ranks of the Gompers follow
ers. They argue that the time was
never better for the establishment of a
labor union to control all the labor fac
tions outside of railroad work.
T'Tfe A. R. U. officials point to the
ruin of the Mutual Aid association of
the switchmen, and the fact that the
American Railway union has already
absorbed half of it's membership, and
will have the rest as soon as it provides
an insurance department for death and
beneficiary for accidents.
"As to the Brotherhood of Locomo-
| tive Engineers, the union officials re-
gard that as practically officially dead.
They cite the dissolution of lodges of
this order at Champaign, Danville,
Terre Haute and in all parts of the
country but the east, as evidence that
the engineers either wish to be inde-
pendent of or are ripe for new organ
ization. Given, therefore, the switch
men and engineers, with what they
have already, the A. R. U. officials
count on convention in January OF
| two thousand delegates, representing
every branch of labor from a newsboy
to railroad engineer, and with Mr..
| Debs presiding.
THE tatement was made broadly at
| A. r. U. headquarters that President
| Sovereign would not interpose a single
| objection to the total absorption OF
| the Knights of Labor by the American
Labor union, and that since the fiasco
III Ills attempt W cali Iieiu OuI Oh d
strike when, except in scattered locali-
ties, there were few to call out, he has
recognized the coming new powers,
| anG only desires not to be left entirely
out. On the other hand, General Sec
retary John w. Hayes is reported to be
decidedly averse to sacrificing the iden.
tity of the knights, preferring to pre-.
serve the fiction of an organization to
a complete surrender. Those who
spoke of the coming convention are sc
close to Debs that it was inferred their
desires We're but reflection of the
next move he intends to make.'
| They Arbitrated.
| DULUTH, Mimi, July 23.-Mrs. Anna
/ q - Il.