The evening world., 1894-07-14
WATCHING CHICAGO.
Local Labor Leaders Puzzled by
the Turn of Affairs.
Thew Believe the Strike Is Not by
Any Means Ended.
Threats Of Debs and sovereign
Thought 10 BE Earnest.

E.v of the labor men in the city seem
IN know how 10 interpret the action of
tho leaders of the Chicago strike. They
.eened satisfied Yesterday that the
.trike was over. and that all danger of
its spreading to this city had passed.
This morning, however, they are not
half a. sanguine. and some of them
actually believe that instead of it being
dead the strike has Just begun.
This latter belief Is 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 to the A. r. L.
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 is claimed by anti-Federa-
ton men, will not seriously affect the
result.
General Secretary Reichers OF the Ma
tional Garment-Wo rkers of America, ono
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 Fedora lion or
sanizations. and he is criticised for not
having done so. AS a matter Of fact, he
had no power to do anything OF the
kind.
81, tho n,,h,ic think. that on his YES
~ go, an,yation would 90 an,
il is making a big mistake. II he gave
me- n neremntorv order for nv organiza.
., ~, a,,,a ~, 49,,
tioh 10 that eiiect "ou'u 'o' pay any
attention to 1t.
1--WE look upon Mr.. Gompers as a care
.,. , . -.
iui' conss'~a'se maj" anu we se''' mn,
to look over the ground for us. OF
.,-.t .s,,s III. ao,,.,a, ,,
weight. beleVe MS decision not 10
order a general strike was based on the
idea that Debs had declared III. str,k.
90 ~. 800 49,. ~, ,h,, ,a,,
OF. Deos having zone So that lett
nothing to arbitrate. and Gompers was
right in his action.
NOW. however that Debs says he
never declared the strike OFF, but that
II ia on and in full force. there IL a
possioih'y ior orsahi%en iapor se't'ns
together and making a bitter fight of It,
I do not see why the Federation's last
statement must be CONSIDERED as hnai' In
view OF the events which have since
happened.
."rh. action ne TIM p.i,uo No
~ VI '' '."'""s N""asers
Association in refusing all offers of
peace and arbitration puts them on IN.
same plape with Pullman rb.v h,ys
FL o pae WIN uiihah, lney have
a.. VI fanintu " crush Iaoor, anu ~ ~
amht IL iaoo' ii'e" W se' 'osether anu
nsnt s .u A.. ,
uoss nov follow that because we
T~r 49, mr i"a ~, Iuai WIN tne ~ OF
T.. central Federation and other bodies
that we should go on arriving each other
nov. am IN FAVOR OF an getting to-
ketner Ior the common cause ana set
tnng our own nghts afterwards
pelieve that General Master Work
man sovereign made great mistake In
MS INST MANIFESTO instead OF calling
on MS men 70 get ready TO go out he
ehould nave invited al organizations to
a conierence aIu oHereh 10 snare the
honors. The Federation would have gone
In and fought with him.
AS say. however. ,he strike does
NOT appear 10 pc over hy any means,
time. The tNdole may even reach New
Il ork yet.
ErnesI Bonm, secretary OF the Central
LABOR Federauor; saia
Matters seemed 70 nave become hope