St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-06
~ 6SS ~ tb& ! " ~ 6t0t
He Presents the Labor Side OF
the Trouble.
The REVOLT At PULLAaK.
Why the A. R. u. Asked for
Arbitration.
HOW THE STRIKE EXTENDED.
Labor Leaders Ready to Avert
the Crisis.
ALL THEY ASK rs EAiR PLAY.
If the Corporations Refuse to
Apbitpate
TU-y M,gf 0r 0rcnoucfoE
III THEY ASK IS fAiR PLAY
If the Corporations Refuse to
Arbitpate
THEY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE.

CHICGo. July 5.-President Debs of
the A. Il. u, issued an address tonight
TO the public. the purpose OF which he
said was 10 acquaint the people with the
facts relating to the present trouble.
He declared that the Pullman employees
who struck on May did so entirely of
their own accord. Their action was
spontaneous ana unanimous, revolt
against series of deep seated wrongs,
of long standing. Labor leaders not
only had no part in it, but those con-
nected with the \. r. U.adised against it,
The employees at Pullman had virtually
become the slaves of the corporation.
AT the time of the strike they were in
arrears for rent alone to the extent of
so, 900. Within a short time they
would have become hopelessly involved
in debt and would have been mortgaged
soul and body to the Pullman company.
| This had resulted because, while wages
had been reduced, the cost of living
had remained the same. The employees
from the beginning had been willing
to arbitrate their differences with the
| company. This was still their petition.
| The claim of the company that there
was nothing to arbitrate was absurd.
| Commlttee after committee waited upon
j the officials of the company, but
were always repulsed. The company
| was and is still as unyielding as ada
mant. Finally, on June II. the dele
gates of the A. r. U. met in convention
| in Chicago.
THE PULLMAN TROUBLE
| had been discussed at their local meet
ings. Many OF the delegates came in
! structed. Two committees were sent
to the officials, but no satisfaction could
| he obtained. AS last resort the dele
gates determined by unanimous vote to
| decline to haul Pullman cars unless the
! company would do justice within
! five days. This action was taken
| six weeks after the strike at Pullman
| occurred. How did the strike extend to
| the railways? The day before the order
of the union declining to haul Pullman
| cars went into effect the General Man
| ayers association, representing the
principal Western railways, met and
agreed substantially TO uphold the
Pullman company in its fight against
| its employees. that they would haul
! Pullman cars. and that they would
| stand together in crushing the life out
| of the a. K. U. The trouble resulting
| had spread from line to line and from
| system to system until crisis had been
reached. Every good citizen must view
the outlook with grave concern.
What could be done to restore peace
and confidence? The American Rail-
way union stood ready to do anything
in its power that was honorable to end
| the trouble. 1t simply insisted that the
Pullman company shall meet its EN-
| ployes and do them justice. The latter
would accept any reasonable proposi-
tion. The company might act through
| its officers or otherwise and the en-
ployes through their chosen representa-
tives. Let them agree SO far as they
could and submit
DISPUTED POINTS
| to arbitration. The question of the
recognition of the A. r. U. or any or
| ganiZation was waived. Let the spirit
| of conciliaIion, mutual concession and
compromise animate and govern both
sides, and there would be no trouble in
| reaching a settlement that would be
satisfactory to all concerned. Then let
the railroads agree to restore all their
employees to their situations with.
out prejudice and the trouble would
be ended. The railways were not
required to recognize the A. r. U. If
| any thought this weakening on the
part of the employees they were well
come to the solace of the conclusion.
The employees had been misrepresented,
but they believed the truth would final
ly prevail. Asto the charge that this
was sympathetic strike. the employees
had done only what the corporations
had done. Other organizations of work.
ing men had felt the oppressive hand of
corporate capital. They would not be
called out. but would go out.
DIDN'T ORDER THE STRIKE.
As to his own part in the strike, Mr..
Debs said it was not ordered by himself
nor by any other individual. He had
never ordered nor called anybody out.
Under the rules of the A. r. u, mem-
bers could only strike when majority
of their number so desired. The vote
of the delegates in this instance was
unanimous. Whenever men have struck
they have done so of their own free
will. He had simply served the notice
after the men had determined to quit
In closing, Mr.. Debs said:
"Let me repeat that we stand ready to
do our part toward averting the impend-
ing crisis. We have no false pride to
stand in the way of settlement We
do not want 'official' recognition. All
we ask is fair play for the men who
have chosen us TO represent them. If
the corporations refuse to yield and
stubbornly maintain that there is moth
ing to arbitrate,' the responsibility for
what may ensus will be upon their
heads. and they cannot escape the
| penalties"