The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-08-24
THE RAILROAD SIDE OF 1T.
GENERAL MANAGER ST. JOHN'S
STORY or DEBs's STRIKE.
ne Tells the Labor Comunissio- thst II
was STARTED By Outsiders on the Rock
Isisnd-kse Mes Struck and the Rest
Were Intimtdated - Police Criticised.

NNN hNhN Nho hsNu0F COMMUNICATION NnaN "
was started By Outsiaers ON the Rock
Isiana-kse Mes Struck and the Rest
Were Iatimtdated - Police Criticised.
CHICAGO, Aug. 23.-General Manager st. John
Of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific road APP
peared Ne a voluntary witness before the Ma
tional Labor Commission this morning. Mr.. st.
John testified that the Rock Island road had
1857 employees. He read a series Of briefs
covering the strike on the Rock island road
from day TO day.
Our first trouble" he said. occurred on
June 30. At this time a meeting Of a few Rock
Island employees and many outsiders was held
on Blue Island avenue. A motion was passed to
strike. Everybody voted. whether railroad EN-
ployees or not. This meeting was addressed by
Debs, Howard, and others, and II was the be-
ginning Of the strike on our road. No official
notice was ever given to any officer OF the Rock
Island road that the employees intended TO
strike, and no notice was ever given the road TO
discontinue hauling Pullman cars"
Manager st. John read q list of men, giving
their employment, who were at the Blue Island
meeting and who voted for q strike, though not
employed by any road. Among these were
tailors, plumbers, bartcnders, and others.
Fully two-thirds Of these men were not en-
ployees Of railroads" said Manager st. John.
He related incidents OF tire strike. He told
how trains were stopped, how engines we're re-
peatedly cut OF and switches thrown by men
to work. were intimidated and forced to stop
work. The witness declared that the local au-
the strik and interfered with the oficers. OF
the ROCK Island road on several occasions. He
sald the police !, q Blue e, Island on several coca;
TO arrest Marshal Arnold himself.
Deputy United States marshals,' continued
Mr.. st. John, 4" AS a rule rendered good service
at Blue Island, but II was discovered that TWEEN
ty-seyen of them were striking, ,switchmen,
american hallway UnHion,.""V '''o' '"'
Manager 81. John scored the, Chicago police,
mitted overt acts. He cited fires by the score,
and declared that In some cases those who triel
vi yIs sn ON the Rs' street, WSts sa aSd Beaten be; t Me% and mt the w ToaG
on July 8 deemed 1t inexpedient to send put new
employees. fearing they would be killed. BY
10 everything was quiet.
THE total number OF men who actually struck
was S22, the rest being intimidated." said Mr..
st. John. THE total number reinstAted was
"a. About 5000 men were out altogether. All
men have been reemployed against whom there
When asked about the relations between the
Mr.. st. John offered the Commission the con-
tract, but asked that II be kept from the general
public. After comforting. the Commission, re-
fused to take IL on these terms. The Rock
Island Company owns a half interest in all its
Pullman cars. By the contract the Rock Island
Is obliged to operate Pullman Cars-strike or no
Manager St., John fixed the losses OF the com
phug uuTlnk IL blTlht Nv ITDm oNUO.bOo W el,-
We have had many ale PSSii%sn cars since
and think this was the case, on all the road..
A consequent cessation OF car building ensued."
earned Hs ssao ONLY yf faco. &c sh SSri that IN sse M E%if .i FAM
and said this did not cover the cost Of the ad-
ditional equipment necessary for Worlds Fair
When asked whether the Rock Island recog-
niZed the American Railway Union. Mr.. St
cation from that body.
Island road, and had been informed the com.
pany could not use them. He said the company
PAD Fsisn the n depnty m EnsinssI who sD5 B%rSSt rssSmtssdn R xsrs
sworn .TSs IN as is deputy Sd msrs sh ; star o, tbs United
Statesf ?" asked Commissioner Herman.
tinued' II wish to say in regard 70 a statement
100000 members OF the American Railway
Union. that II is my conviction that 10000 o.
nor have they BEEN Connected With any road"
is 1t fair to presume that a large proportion
hoodIums and not by railroad men Z" asked Mi.
IT,. Ans %snsS SslisSH M inr g. .n So iaslf sw S' Sa Hs" P5 d s11 St
that We will be able to substantiate this state
Ali knowledge OF a book containing a black
list and distributed among the various roads
was denied by the witness. He denied that Yard
entered into n history OF the Gen
eral Managers Association. II was, he
said, a voluntary and not an Incorporated
association with a constitution and bylaws. II
included twenty-four lines, all with terminals
In Chicago, and its object was to solve problems
presented to the general managers, IL seemed
to be the idea that the General Managers
Association was formed solely TO crush labor or
CARNATIONS, he said. That was one OF It's re-
hottest objects; The witness read a list OF bust
ness discussed last year. I'VE have only CON
sidered strikes once or twice during the exist
ence OF the association since 1885" said the Wit
ness. THAT is the smallest part OF our bust
ness"
In reply to the question. What have you to
offer as a solution of the labor problem - Mr.. ST.
John read an answer. Arbitration was the only
thing he favored at all, but IA u general propo-
sition he could offer no solution. He condemned
the sympathetic strike as one that could never
be settled by arbitration. He thought the IL
witness told how the general managers had re-
jected the overture OF the A. h. u. 10 declare the
why did you refuse to consider this COM
munication ~ asked Mr.. Herman.
Mr.; 50. John said 1t was because the associa-
~ Is il not true" asked Mr.. Herman, that II q
strike occurred on a line belonging to the as
defeat the strikersT"
Yes, sir"
We'll, then. why did not the General Man.
ayers Association recognize the right OF the A.
n. L. 10 organize men In a common cause when
one part Of the A. X. L.. was being affected :"
I'VE did not believe these men who were
destroying our property were worthy or recogni-
ton" |
Manager 1t. John argued against a State
Board OF Arbitration, and Mr.. Herman yigor.
ously advocated such a Board In his series OF
cross-questions