The evening world., 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 Idboi men III the city seem
10 know bow 10 interpret the action OF
the leaders Of the Chicago strike. They
aetmed satisfied yesterday that the
strike was over. aud TINT al danger Of
It's spreading to this city had passed.
This morning, however, they are not
half 80 sanguino, and s5nle OF them
actually believe that instead of It being
dead the strike has Just begun.
This latter belief IS based on the re-
fussl OF the railway managers to treat
with Debs in any shape or manner.
This. they say. will bring hosts Of
friends to the A. II. Y.
They also think the threat OF Debs
and Sovereign to fight to the last ditch
was intended for all It 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. It rs claimed by anti-Federa-
ton men. will not seriously affect the
result.
General Secretary Reichers. OF the Ma
tional Garment-Wor OF America, one
OF the biggest of the organizations at
tached to the Federation of Labor. said
MANY people seem to think that Mr..
Gompers had the power to order out a
general strike of all the Federation or
CARNATIONS. and he Is criticised for not
haY'.g done so. As matter of fact, he
had no power to do anything OF the
kind
'IIf the public thinks that ON his yes
or no every organization would gu out
1t is making n big mistake. " he gave
me peremptory order for my orgnniza-
ton to that effect would not pay any
attention to II.
1--WE look upon Mr. Gompers as care
full conservative man, and we sent him
to look over the ground for us. or
course. his views will have their proper
weight. ! believe his decision not to
order Il 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 Off but that
II Is on and In full force. there Is a
possibility for organized labor getting
together and making a bitter fight OF II.
do not see why the Federation's last
statement must be considered as Anal. 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. they have
all organized to crush labor. and It Is
time for labor men to get together and
fight back.
ut 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
II believe that General Master Work
man Sovereign made great mistake n
on his men to get ready to go out he
should have invited all organizations &c
conference and offered to share the
honors. The Federation would have gone
In and fought with him
AS | 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
lIrnes, Bohm. Secretary OF the Contra
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 it has only Jus
begun.
! The Spurning or DehS'S Of1er by tn,
railroad magnates Will bring lots u
| friends to the strikers. and Sovereign
| declaration that the fight will be- to tn
| death IS not an empty threat by an.
means. | take 1t that he will now b
compelled to call the knights out every
where, and II 80, of course New Sorl
! will get Its share of the excitement.
The Central Labor Fedora ton stand
In the same position 1t did at first. w
are willing to help organized labo
everywhere. and II Debs or Sovereig
calls upon us to go out. we Will doubt
less do so.
Il shall hold on to the same belle
however, that II one half the energ
used up in this fight, had been use
to perfect political organization an
results would have been obtained"
Secretary Murphy, OF u. A. ~. had RI
ceived no word from General Mastc
Workman Sovereign up to loon, hut h
did expect IA communication before Moi
dn"
I'VE are still waiting" he said. IAN
the moment | hear from Chicago of
Gals | will call the executive officer
together"
Nunc of the officials OF the America
= Federation was on hand this mornin
, and the clerks had heard nothing fro
, Chicago Gompers is not expected bac
for several days.