The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-26
GOMPEKN' STRIKE YIBHs.
He Jutifies the Action of tho Amsric'n
n ilwsy Uni'n.

dent p.bs. Of the American Rail-
way Union. was recalled at the beginning
of to-days session OF the NAuonai LABOR
C0mmis sion. He produced letter SUD
stlntiatiug his statement that the now
famous expression save your money ana
buy a gun, was not his, but that OF MS
stenographer, J.. +. Behedlct aua N1s
by the latter used only IN spirit OF
The letter declares that the expression
was a common one In the Office at Butte,
Montana, from which Mr.. Benedict came.
Debs VAS then asked the question.
"Do you believe II ustihable 10 tie up
the commerce of the country I'm order To-
obtain redress for complaint. To "hich
.-rhat depends. For a small grievance
/ do not think 10 would be- Justhable. For
one affecting large number OF men,
think it would be-,
"DO YOU think a railroad company would
be- justhable IN ucing up commerce In
order 10 resist a demand made on one
wen. that is the way the General
Managers SO The thing"
commissioner Wright then read Mr..
Debs ii communication. which suggests
that labor and capital each be required 10
file n bond 10 be- forfeited IN case OF
refusal 20 submit amy question 10 atpl-
ton. The witness did not Ike the plan.
Ue said hc was opposed 10 anything
Ike compulsory arbitration. fresidrhl
DehS said he had no personal know Micd-e
Of a blacklist He then devoted his at
tention no dcnving statements made boy
General Manager ST. John. first denying
that there were only 200 members OF
the \. r. L. on the Rock Island system:
I'VE had a larger membership than that
he said.
SAMUEL GoMPTRs' TESTIMONY.
Samuel Gompers, president Of the
American Federation Of Labor, next took
the stand. He said the membership was
$1,000 Mr. GOmpcrs told I'm detail about
fr. a lfT1tFH-
which action was taken on the a. X. /.
strikes.
G0mpers. that since the Prime Minister
Of England had deemed It eNpcdlent 10
use the great power OF England 10 end
the coal strike. It would not be beneath
the dignity II the President OF the United
States 10 take some action In this un-
happy crisis
''T0 this end We telesraphed him, ask
ing him either TO come 10 Chicago. or to
send representative. TO this telegram
the President did not drign a reply. The
American Federation of Labor deemed
il ineNpeiient az this time 10 recon-
mend \ strike
Mr. Gompers read an address to the
public. explaining why the organization
of which he Us president refused 10 order
strike he referred 10 the town Of
Pullman as "Pullman's Pharlsacal para
"It would De q very difficult thing for
the American Federation ot Labor -
declare SflIhtt continued MI. TOM
pers I'VE could only do 10 IN some mat
ter OF general interest; such. for in
stance. as the establishment Of an eight
hour day"
strike iustnahie at any time. hir. Com
pcrs said: "T believe that labor has the
right at all times ~ better IFS condition
II commerce or industry is incidentally
paralyZed n IA not the fault Of labor.
but OF the corporations which refus" o
grant its just or reasonable demands"
HIS IDEA OF SOLUTION.
When asked how he would solve the
labor problem, Mr. Gompers said. so
long as the present conditions exist there
VII be strikes. ] do not join in this gem
ciai p"huhcldUon ol strikes. ] regard the
strike as the protest Of labor against
being bound in slavery.
But FOR the strike labor would never
FOR the amount Of work IL can produce
Strikes are not the failures that they
are usually written down 10 be- Labor
STATISTICS demonstrate thar q majority OF
strikes are won. The report I'm New
York shows that tWO-thirds Of the strikes
in that state have been gained by the
strikers. some time ago | sent out re
quests for reports on strikes by the trade
unions affiliated with the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor. These reports show
that sd per cent Of the strikes were won.
4 per cent compromised and 10 per cent.
lost Even when strikes are lost they
have their good effect They show em-
plOyers that if they attempt 10 push their
men further down Il will be resisted and
viii AT least prove very expensive. The
fact that this honorable commission was
called TO meet shows that a pubic strike
had a beneficial effect IL at least called
the attention Of the public 10 the griev-
ances OF labor. | believe, however, that
this meeting should have been called dur
ing the strike, instead Of after. Ii is
more like a corOner's jury now 10 me
than anything else"
CONVENIENT OwSTBsHIP OF Raj WAYS.
Mr.. Gompers stated that the Brother
hood OF Locomotive Firemen would short
ly affiliate with the American Federation
OF Labor. and he believed the other rail-
road organizations would soon follow suit
Il think the Government ownership OF
railroads practicable. II the Government
can operate a bankrupt rairOad--a thing
that Il has frequently dOne-it can GER
tainly operate a railroad which is not
bankrupt. But ] do not believe any one
plan can solve the labor problem. Wage
workers are just like other persons-they
will always ask for more. no matter how
much they are getting. y man earning
one dollar "a day will be satisfied for a
while with one dollar day. A man who
earns three dollars a day VIII not be sat
ished with an increase OF ten cents; he
will want 1926 or $3.50 a day. II he earns
five thousand year he Will want an
increase OF one thousand year. and II
he gets ffty thousand he Will want the
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