New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-24
NETWORK. FRIDAY AUGUST o. 1s94-TEN PAGES. -=
FROM THE RAILROADS VIEW.
GENERAL MANAGER ST JOHN BEFORE
THE LABOR COMMISSION.
FDEBs'S ASSERTIONS DENIED-FEATUREs OF THE
BIG STRIKE DwELr UPoN-No
REMEDY TO SUGGEST.


Chicago. Aug. 23-It Is evident from the earnest
ness with which Commissioner Herman argued with
GENERAL Manager ST. John at to-days session OF the
Ndtohai Labor Committee for State Board or
Arbitration to settle the differences between labor
and capital that such board would be OF the
recommendations If not the chief one. OF the
mission. Mr.. st. John. who Is general manager OF
the Rock Island system on the stand five hours
He declared the tate riots preciptaed by and
participated in by strikers rather than hoodlums
He fatty denied several statements made by Debs
He denied that General Miles had conferred with
the general managers in any way.
Mr.. st John appeared voluntary witness be-
fore the National Labor Commission this morning
Mr. St John testified that the Rock Island road
had l25l7 employees. He then read series Of briefs
covering the strike the Rock Island road from
day TO day.
"Our first trouble" said Mr. ST. John. occurred
June 30 At this time meeting OF few Rock
Island employees and many outsiders held on
Blue Island-ave. A motion was passed to strike. all
participating in II. whether railroad employees or
not This meeting addressed by Debs Howard
and others. and ii the beginning OF the str1Ke
on our road No official notice was ever given 10
any officer OF the Rock Island road that the en-
ployes intended to strike. and no notice was ever
given the road to discontinue hauling Pullman cars
Manager 81. John then read list OF men. giving
their employment. who were at the Blue lsland
meeting. and who voted for a strike through unem-
moved by ROAD. Among ln'Sf men "ci' '"'
ors plumbers. bartenders and others
Fully two-thrds OF these men were not en-
Moves Of railroads." said Manager St John. and he
cited the names OF several persons present by whom
he said he could prove his assertion. lie theh ue-
tailed the incidents OF the strike The witness de-
clared that the local authorities at Blue lsand were
I'm sympathy with the strikers and interfered with
the officers of the Rock Island road on several oc-
casjons He said the police OF Blue Island on sew
eral occasions arrested officers OF the ROAD. ana
once tried TO arrest Marshal Arnold hmscl'
DEPUTY United States marshals. continued MT.
St John "as rule rendered good service at b'ue
Island. but 1t discovered that twenty-seVeh
of the marshals were striking switchmen sworn in
by the order OF the president OF the \. X u
Manager st John gave dates. names and minute
details OF various alleged interferences with trains
by strikers. The Instances were numerous lie
scored the Chicago police force and DECLARED they
often stood ldly by and permitted overt acts lie
cited frcs by the score and declared that in some
at. New men We're way!a!d on ne streets an, ana
beaten and the road on July dcenleI IL n"N- s
would be killed By Juy y the trouble began ITO 10
abate and by July 10 eV'tE'hds nsif THS g,ruck was
522 the rest being intlmiatcd sad MI 81 J32hil,,
The total number rcinstated was a. About 80
men were out altogether. All men have been re-
employed against wnom there were no chdIH,S
In regard to backlsting Mr. ST Johh si'i thc
Rock Island road hal no blacklist hey ond DEBATING
an cmpoyc dismissed on one division ol tle loi,'
H. co,,inwed, The doors Of the oiica.s from the
president down are always open TO Inc huih"''S'
Whcn asked about the relations between IN. Pull
man Company and the ROCK Island roai. Mr ~
asked that il be kept from the general public
g s9nfs- ,s4m- IF HSSE Sni compsny
a half.inieresi In ali rs Pullman cars by me con con
tract the Rock Island Is Obliged 10 opr1t" Tul, t
man cars-strlke or no STRIKE Manager 81 ,n !Shn
Al from ssOoco to f.0n.co including damage 10
proEsrS Wa have many IDLE Pullman cars since the close
OF the Worlds Fair said the witness, am, am
think this was the case all roads. \ consequent
s .i'.,n go, - car-builllng ensued" lie then gav"
figures to show that the Rock Island earnen earned pui 1
not cover the cost Of the additional equipment nece'
sarv for Worlds Fair business.
Fire Marshal joseph L. kenyon whS has ehitss iaS
his place He testified that s52 cars hai Deem pu'h''
in hts district during ,he .trike o., ,,o o,en,ng
or The afternoon session. He stated that the zen
ora Managers Association Included t~oh'y lou, t
lines All with terminals IN Chicago. ana lts "pJ''i
vas 10 solve problems presented To the general
managers II seems TO be the idea that the cen
crush labor ORGANIZATIONS Ihat ls one oi ,,,,c, W.
motest objects. The witness denied the stateteh,
the General Managers Association charac,etih,hhe ,he
IL as purely imaginary. In the last tlrse months
creased sscGoo san Mr.. 81. John and he lntimated
mat another cut in wages might be necessary
before long. ~ ..,,.., ,a,.o ,.o,, Ga or.r
as a solution Of the labor problem Mr. ST John
read an answer Arbitration was me ohly thiig
nouid offer no solution. He condemned the sympa-
thetic strike that could never be settled by
rb witness continued II wish to say In regard
TO a statement made by witness to the enect
thst there ar 10000 members OF the ~ X l.. that
!, ne nv conviction that l2OCoO OF this number do
NOT work for any railroad at all. nor nave they
been connected with any road" ,.,
Manager St John argued against State Board
Of Arbitration and Mr.. Herman vigorously advo-
Gated such Board