New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-06
DEBs's STATEMENT ITO THE PUBLIC"
HE DENoUNcEs TIE PULLMAN COMPANY. DE
MANDs ARBITRATION AND DEFENDS
SYMPATHETIC sTKKrs

MANlfS AMI IN . iCtN @Nsf' '.'r' '-''
SYMPATHETIC STRIKES
Chicago July 5-Eugcne V. Debs. president of
the 4 r. L.. has ISSUED long statement In
justification 81 the grca, strike q which he Is
the central figure. The article IS addressed nc
the Public" and reads in part as follows.
The Pullman enplore, who struck on May
las, dld so entirely Oi their own t'''fl ~" "l'-
Gers OF the American Railway lr."n n-r! az L''l
Influence pac!fy the employees ana al'tei sn,
repeatedly no; to STRIKE. bat TO ocht pt" .r ,
ihelr grievances until p~'.-"hr -'t.''i",i'. . 49,,
be Effected To The frsth ~ this statement 'h'
employees rhelneslyrs y u boar wiling testimony.
Iiui the grievance O; 30" 'mp0y"s i,'n a'..
women. hal become ~ aggrhyai~' - t,i"N9' t,ti.
patience deserted them and they hbtnlonr1 M
employment rather than submit ioht'. ' rbe
tions against which Their very SOUS i'"'".n 80
pullman Company. b. IL unl"r-ig'a 'mns we
controls the Hight ana water anI "'hcf h",'','' ',
81 NE. and wages are 800 adjusted o. Nuns -
pcnses that ln large majority vi cas- ~ I..
Al The time they struck. th~ empl"y"s We're IN
arrears 10 Tho P4l'man Compnny 49, ' ',"'it
alone Wages had been f"irAi"..I '''D,'' ""'
rent and other expenses f'niih". ,h, 7t'N ..,i-
The empoye4 from th' beginning n4.r .." WI
ing 10 arb.traie their differences WIN w. ',,,
pauy. but the company arrogant a.. IN
not allow a board % faiF ana inIaru"' "'''''''''
Committee after committee waited upon me ON
clals Of the Pullman 1ompi"y' DIX az ' a. dce.
vances were repealed Finally. on Jun" T. inc n''-
gates OF the American Railway ani'n r"if W ,r
~ local unions Of railway emploS''h Io,h''I "a ~
principal lines OF American rallway- il*c"'''' u'
Pullman trouble A. Chicago. and. ~ las, resort
the delegates determined mat unless thc u'''''''
Company could agree 90 ID juetc" 10 th"N IN
poyes within five days. thr members 81 the pIIrr
would decline to haul Pullman cars THIS ar'lnn.
be- 1t remembered. was not taken until Inc suk"
had been on six weeks.
T'p 10 this point the trouble was confined to the
Pullman Company and lis employee. How. then.
diI the strik- eNtcnu 20 the railways Let the an
sWer be ri, en- In accordance w!tn ~" fncts. IN"
lav before the order 81 the delegates declining 20
haul Pullman cars went into enccf, ihe General
Managers Association. representing the principal
r. lusNlt mot af a ID
lutions declaring In substance that they would up-
hold the Pullman COMPANY In ia night upon the
employees that they would haul Pullman ears and
that they would stand together In crushing out the
American Railway Union. /, VIII thus D." seen that
tho Pullman Company. went into partnership with
them 80 70 speak 20 reduce arl d"fent their hall
starved employees. in this WY me troubi" was "x-
tended from system H. syatcn until 'Iisls nas
been rca ,hcd The business ~ IN" company Is de-
nOralized 20 an extent that le0os "Naggrrlfiln
To say that the situation is alarming is entirely
within !he bounds OF prudent ttnIcnent Every
corn Something should. something must. Doe done
The American people are a pcnce-loving people
have faith In their .nsttuti they believe In law
ana order they believe m gooi government but
viii not tolerate arbitrary and dictatorlal defiance
even on the part o. an alliance Of rich and powerful
What can be done to dispcl the apprehension that
now prevails and restore peace and confidence?
and In whose behalf this statement is made stands
ready, has from IN" beginning stood rendy, 10 do
end this trouble.
This briefly stated is the position the organiza-
ton occupies. II simply Insists that tho Pullman
Company shall meet its employees and DO them JUS
tlce. We guarantee that III" latter VIII accept
reasonable proposition Let them agree far
they can. and where they fan 10 agree. let the
points In dispute be submitted TO arbitration. The
question Of the recognition OF the American Raj
way Union or any other organization Is waived
Let the spirit Of Cancellation mutual concession and
compromise animate and govern both sides and
there will be trouble In reaching settlement
that Will be satisfactory 10 all concerned. This
done. let the railway companies agree To restore
oil their employees to their situations without preju
dice and the trouble VIII be- ended.
! have now clearly AMI briefly as possible stated
the position OF the American Railway Union, AZ u
was the beginning Of the troub.e-as IL Is now.
We have been deliberately and mallciOusy m'sr"p-
resented. but We have borne 81 all with unwavcring
faith that the truth WI finally and powerfully pre-
we hO.d that belief all not rccele.
II has been asked what sense !s there IN sympa-
thetc strikes. Let the corporations answer. When
one Is assaile1 all 90 20 me rescue. They stand
and equipments. Labor in un!fying rs fo-ces.
simply follows their cxamp.e. II the proc 'eing IS
vicious and .ndefenslbc. lot them first abolish II.
In this contest labor will stand by labor. other
organizations Will not be called out bu; they Will
60 out: and the spectacle Of Mr.. Pullman. famed
by the breozes Of the Atlantic while his ompoyes
are starving. Is not calculated 10 prevent Their
fellow WaRe-wOrkers from going 20 their rescue by
the only means At their command. Let repeat
that stand ready 10 DO our part toward averiing
The impending crisis
The statement closes with these words:
II the corporations refuse to Yield and aubbornly
that there IL nothing 10 arbtrate," the
heir heads. and they cannot escape lis pen
lltlef.