The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-21

q
new organization" When the commits
sion took its noon recess President Debs
was still on the stand.
At 30 Debs resumed the stand He
testified that from the beginning the
American Railway Union and the strike
leaders had been badly treated by the
Chicago press. Interviews had been dis
torted and many lies told
President Debs said if there had been a
revolution it would have been directly
chargeably to the press Of Chicago rather
than TO the American Railway Union
DO you charge the general managers
with being resi- sponsible for the strike3"
asked Commissioner Wright
"WeH, l could hardly 90 so far as that
| believe. however, they had much to do
with keeping it up"
How would you gain the demands of
laborers on quasl-public corporations :"
asked Judge Worthington.
There are two ways. One is the way
adopted by the old brotherhOods: That is
getting a schedule of wages gradully from
the employers. There has been little
good in this mode of procedure. 1t takes
a strike to win sometimes, but don't be-
lieve the railroad employees of this coun-
try could win strike to-day if they were
all organized inIone brotherhood, because
the courts are against labor. / can show
IN twenty years of writing that / have
always been opposed 10 strikes, but |
think that there are times when they are
iustitiable, no matter how much thepublic
is discOmmoded.
President Debs said he did not think
the general managers were always to
blame in reducing wages because their
orders came from higher source He
believed the American Railway Union
and the spirit of organization among
laboring men would always be strong.
He predicted that more serious trouble
would occur than ever before
Now" continued Debs, ."you have
asked me how I would avert railroad
strikes. ] believe the government owner
ship of railroads would be far better than
| the railroad ownership of the govern
ment. | do not believe any lasting good
can come of arbitration and 1 do not think
| the government supervision of the rail
roads would answer the purpose. In
such case as that of the Pullman
company, | believe that compulsory
arbitration would be of benefit. A state
court might be of some good for
ordinary labor troubles | would, in
such case, have a trial of the difference
! by jury. / am in favor of some system,
however, that will result in mutual good
! feeling, and neither strikes or compulsory
arbitration can result in anything but i'll
! feeling. am in favor of licensing rail
road employees.
Mr.. Debs was cross-eXamined by Com
missioner Herman, who sought to bring
| out the point that a state board of arbi-
tratiOn would be of benefit in adjusting
labor troubles. He admitted that it
would be Of temporary benefit, but ad-
! vocated above all things the government
! ownership of the railroads, notwithstand-
! ing Mr.. Keruan pointed out that such a
state of affairs would probably be i'm
| practicable
II believe in abolishing the wage sys-
TEN, said the witness. 81 believe in CO.
operative wealth. 'gn other words,
YOU believe in st.,1e socialism, said
Chairman Wright.
We'll, in the essential points of state
socialism. The wage system is nothing
more than slavery"
Mr.. Morrisey of the order of train
men told of the conference Of labor
leaders at the Briggs house, and he was
| followed by Grand Chief Clark of the
order of the conductors. He favored
licensing railroad employees, while Nor
risey opposed the idea.
George M. Pullman has been asked to
appear before the labor commission to
| give testimonyas to the difficulty between
| himself and his employees. 1t was said
| to-day that Chairman Carroll Wright of
the commission had personal interview
! on Saturday with MIR. Pullman and in
formed him that he would be requested
to testify Whether Mr.. Pullman had ac-
ceded to or declined to comply with the
request and what course the commission
would pursue in the event OF Pullman
proving contumacio1s, would all appear
in proper time in the proceedings of the
commission Mr. Wright said
1t was said also that requests similar to
that sent to Mr. Pullman were sent to
several of the general managers. So far
as could be learned only one of them has
responded thus far.