The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-21
DEBS ON THE LATE STRIKE
TESTIMONY BEFORE THENArIOHdL
COMMISSION AT CHICAGO.
There was n Concert of Action, He Says, To
Reduce Wages-Denies Conspiracy
on the Part OF the strikers.

CHICAGO, Aug 0.-President Eugene
V. Debs. Of the American Railway Union,
occupied the stand for nearly four hours
to-day before the National Strike Com
mission He advocated cooperation
commonwealth the abolition Of the wage
system, and the Government ownership
of railroads.
r. II. Morrissey. First Nice-Grand
Master of the order of Railway Train
men, and Grand Chief Clerk Of the Or
der OF Railway Conductors, also test-
fed
Debs was the first TO take the stand at
the opening Of the days session. He
said. In answer to a question, that be
was thirty-eight years Old. and in addi-
tiou 10 beng at the head Of the A. Il. L.,
was editor Of the Locomotive Fireman
Magazine.
WAS OPPOSED TO A STRIKE. -
He testified that from the beginning he
was opposed 10 strike, ana 50 told
Nice~lresident Howard. He then con-
tinued: II went twice 10 George NJ. Pull
man ana to the town Of Pullman 10
thoroughly investigate the conditions *
istng at the car shops. | found the EN-
ployca We're not only not getting wages
enough to live on. put were. daily get
ting deeper into the debt Of the Pullman
Company. 30 matter how offensive the
conditions were there, the men were
obliged TO submit TO them. When I found
OUT au these talnss ! immediately de
termned that the American Railway
Union should 30 10 the assistance Of
these unfortunate people. We believed
that any fair board Of arbitration would
nave decided in favor OF the employee,
and ali we asked was arbitration. This
the Pullman Company arbitrarily re-
fused. Not only this, but when We asked
them TO examine into the question to
h fH4HHH b iFfH fl
arDitrate. they also refused this. Very
much has been said about an alleged
conspiracy against the railroads ana
against hauling the mails
MEETINGS HELD WITH OPEN DOORS.
~ want 10 call the attention Of this
commission 10 the fact that every meet
ls OF tne A. X. L. was held with open
doors and that reporters OF the press
We're allowed 10 be- present. II there had
heeh any conspiracy contemplated we
yyrhhiV would nave been more secret
Debs then told Of the several failures of
the american Railway Union 10 secure
arbitration from the Pullman Company
ana the subsequent Inauguration of the
strike. Not only did the employees OF
the various railroads strike because or
the injustice being done 10 the Pullman
employees, but because the various roads
had grievances Of their own, which / shau
proceed In time 10 show. We used our
Influence 10 prevent strikes during the
worlds Fair, as We did not believe il
just 10 the public To inauglirate a. strike
AT such a time. II was all that could be
done by the leaders OF the labor unions
10 prevent strike In view Of the men
working throughout the fair the railway
managers on many OF the roads promised
an increase OF wages after the fair was
over Instead Of doing this they began
Immediately after the fair closed to BEGIN
systematic reduction Of wages through
out the country.
s cpNcvRr OF ACTION.
No two companies reduced wages at the
same time. This. 10 me- was Il very Sig
nihcant action. II shows TO me that there
was concert Of action among the various
roads, ana that they did not wish 10
arouse the antagOnism OF too many rail-
road employees at the same time.
President Debs said, moreover, no rail
at the same timo, but reduced them 10y
sections He declared the American
Railway Union viewed these reductions
with greater apprehension. The organi-
zaiion felt tnat Tue time had come 20
When me American Railway Union
met In convention In Chicago ON June
2lst. il was confronted by these cohdi-
was this convention called 10 con
slider the reduction of wages OF the
Pullman natter asked Commissioner
arhe convention was called for no
specific purpose. II was the regular
quadreunial convention, provided for by
The witness then enumerated the fail
ures Of the Old labor organizations 10
gain redress for the grievances Of the
employees, and asserted that they felt
their only hope lay In the American
Railway Union, 10 which they finally
turned for help.
prrr,,,N TporrRrV At TuR poTTOu or TT
When asked what the outcome OF the
convention which declared the boycott
against Pullman cars would have been.
had II not been for the grievances OF
Pullman employees. Debs said there would
have been no strike but for the Pull
man trouble. as the American Railway
Union. owing 70 the depressed condition
OF the country, deemed It an inauspicous
II would like to state" said Debs. chat
the railroad companies have never raised
wages OF their own accord. Every in
crease in wages has been wrung from
them by organized labor
"I had no voice I'm ordering this strike
myself" said the witness, but II had
had voice In IT | would have ordered 4.
/ have no desire % shirk any responsible
ty.
corNsrrrp AGAINST vrOLTNcr.
'Nfy record will show. also that I have
always cOunseiled against violence The
telegram attributed 90 me which read;
Save your money ana Duy buH'
though sent over my signature, | never
saw. Ii was sent by our stenographer 70
hts superior I'm Montana, ana was not m
tended literally. Il was merely playful
expression current I'm Montana
The witness claimed that the men
would have won the strike had not the
courts interfered. 1t was not the sol
diers." he said, nor the labor orsaniza-
tlons but the Federal courts that kept
MS from winning by the arrest Of the
leaders the ranks OF the strikers were
demoralized."
Ne charged General Miles with being
I'm league with the railroad managers 10
etIppress the strike. and related instances
where. as he alleged. men We're made 10
work al the point Of the bayOnet. The
refusal of the general managers 10 ac-
cent the American Railway Union
proposition TO end the strike was then
recfted. Mr. Debs denied that the Ameri-
can Railway Union had any aRupathy
for other organizations
.,Niinin the next three days, said the
,,i,neSs 1--WE are going 10 take steps 10
unity all railroad labor organizations. We
ara willing to dve up our positions and
sacrifice the 4. X. L. 10 accomplish tnls
reefilt and agree not 20 accept an official
nositionx al the head Of the new organi-
ZatiCR."
cess Debs was still on the stand.
BADLY TREATED BY THE PRESS
At t.90 Debs resumed the stand. He tes-
tifed that from the beginning the Amer
lean Railway Union and the strike lead
snIf 81