The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-07-14
WATCHING CHICAGO.
Local Labor Leaders Puzzled by
the Turn of Affairs.
They Believe the Strike Is Not by
Any Means Ended.
Threats OF Debs and Sovereign
Thought to BE Earnest.

Few OF the labor men In the city seem
to know how to interpret the action Of
the leaders of the Chicago strike They
seemed satisfied yesterday that the
strike was over. and that all danger of
its spreading to this city had passed.
This morning, however. they are not
half as sansuine. and some OF them
actually believe that instead OF II being
dead the strike has Just begun.
This latter belief 10 based on the re-
fusal Of the railway managers to treat
with Debs in any shape or manner.
This. they say. will bring hosts Of
friends 70 the A. r. U.
They also think the threat OF Debs
and Sovereign to fight to the last ditch
was intended for all 1t was worth.
The action of President Gompers and
the other officers OF the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor in refusing to Join In
the strike. 1t s claimed by anti-Federa-
tion men. will not seriously affect the
result.
General Secretary Reichers. OF the Ma
tional Garment-W orkers Of America, one
of the biggest OF the organizations at
tached to the Federation Of Labor, said .
Many people seem to think that MIR.
Gompers had the power to order out a
general strike of all the Federation or
ganizations. and he is criticised for not
hav'cg done so. AS a matter Of fact, he
had no power to do anything Of the
kind.
III the public thinks that on his yes
or no every organization would go out
II Is making a big mistake. II he gave
me a peremptory order for my organiza.
ton to that effect would not pay any
attention to It,
I'VE look upon Mr. Gompers as a care.
full, conservative man. and we sent him
to look over the ground for us. OF
course. his views will have their proper
weight. | believe his decision not to
order general strike was based on the
idea that Debs had declared the strike
off. Debs having done so. that left
nothing to arbitrate and Gompers was
right In his action.
Now. however. that Debs says he
never declared the strike on, but that
1t is on and in full force. there Is a
possibility for organized labor getting
together and making a bitter fight of 1t.
| do not see why the Federation's last
statement must be considered as final, In
view OF the events which have since
happened
THE action OF the Railway Managers
Association in refusing all offers of
peace and arbitration puts them on the
same plane with Pullman. rhey hav.
all organized to crush labor. and 1t is
time for labor men to get together and
tight back.
at does. not follow that because we
have had many, quarrels with the X, OF
l.. Central Federation and other bodies
that we should go on arriving each other
now ! am In favor OF all getting to-
gether for the common cause and set
Ting our own fights afterwards.
Il believe that General Master Work
man Sovereign made a great mistake in
his first manifesto, Instead of calling
on his men to get ready to go out he
should have invited all organizations to
a conference and offered to share the
honors. The Federation would have gone
In and fought with him,
LAS | say, however, the strike does
not appear to be over by any means
and We are with organized labor every
time. The trouble may even reach New
York yet"
Ernest Bohm, Secretary of the Central
Labor Federation, said
Matters seemed to have become hope
lessly tangled. but from the Chicago re-
ports 1t is evident that the strike IL
still on-in fact, that 1t has only Just
begun.
The spurning Of Debs's offer by the
railroad magnates will bring lots OF
friends to the strikers, and Sovereigns
declaration that the fight will be to the
death IS not an empty threat by any
means: take II that he will now be
compelled to call the knights out every
where, and II so, of course New York
VIII get It's share of the excitement
The Central Labor Federation stands
In the same position 1t did at first. We
are willing to help organized labor
everywhere. and II Debs or Sovereign
calls upon us to go out. We will doubt
less do so
II shall hold on to the same belief.
however, that IL one half the energy
used up In this fight. had been used
to perfect a political organization and
In preparing for the hdllo: much better
results would have been obtained"
Secretary Murphy. of D. A. 80, had We
ceiHed no word from Genera Master
Workman Sovereign up to noon, tat he
| dav "
1--WE are still waiting" he said. land
the moment | hear from Chicago OIL.
Gals | will call the executive officers
together"
None OF the officials of the America
| Federation was on hand this morning
and the clerks had heard nothing from
/ Chicago Gompcrs is not expected back
/ for several days.