The evening world., 1894-08-20
DEBS ON THE STAND.
A. r. q. Leader Tells His Story
Of the Great Strike.
SAYS the Courts Saved the Rail.
roads from Defeat.
Commissioners Call Upon Pullman
to Appear and Testify.

| tBy ASSOCIATED Fresf.D
| CHICAGO, Aug. 2O.-The Strike Com
missioners have notified George NJ.
Pullman to appear and testify,
and will also call for several
members of the General Managers AS
ISOLATION. The date for Mr.. Pullman's
testimony of President e. V. Debs, of
is expected that he will appear Tues
day or Wednesday.
| BY far the largest audience yet in
attendance upon the Strike Commission
sessions was present to-day to hear the
testimony of President 8. V. Debs, Of
the American Railway Union. When
told to tell his story, in his own way,
what he knew of the Pullman strike and
it's results. the tall leader Of the great
strike began in a low, clear voice
recital which gradually became more
earnest and forcible as he proceeded,
until 1t developed into almost an ora
ton. He told of having received word
that strike in Pullman was imminent,
and Of his coming to Chicago to inves-
tigate.
! Il found" he said, .'that the men were
working for the Pullmon Company at
wages upon which they could not live.
| found that salaries had been cut time
and again until skilled mechanics were
working their lives away for wages not
| sufficient for common laborer; that
| the town of Pullman, with its shops,
it's houses and its stores was SO schemed
that every penny the workingman made
| Golfers.
I'm fact. I found the workingmen Of
Pullman in pltible condition, and de-
to Of df The all IN ms
Union, to improve their condition. The
strike followed, ordered by the men
themselves Then came the boycott, or
Convention. and then followed the rail-
road strikes, ordered by the various
local unions, each Of whom had griev-
Mr.. Debs then told of the strike, his
account differing but little from that OF
the other American Railway Union Off
Gals who had preceded him on the wit
ness-stand. He said the Pullman strike
was the prime cause of the railroad
strike, but that the railroad men had
grievances Of their own. The General
nized with the avowed intention Of Civ
ing assistance to railroads in labor
troubles. The evident aim was to drive
LABOR 5sd rem nis
formed than systematic reduction OF
railroad wages all over the country be.
} gan. The cuts were made on one road
at a time and in one department at G
which they appeared was sufficiently sig.
nificant. The men were ready to strike
and felt they had cause. But the trou.
BILE. would not have come when it did
had 1t not been for the Pullman matter
The time was unpropitlous," said Mr.
Debs. Business was depressed AM ,nt
strikes. / had not the power. The mel
did that. themselves. But do not wish
> to shirk any responsibility, and am will
e ing to say that L heartily concurred IL
4 and approved of the action taken by tn,
men. As to violence, I always con
demned it., I have written and Spoken
= strike cannot be won by violence. AS t,
kilograms sent from our Office counsel
ling violence, l know nothing of an!
1 such epistles."
= what about the buy a gun tele
, gram?" asked Commissioner Herman.
That is easily explained. The tele
gram was sent by private secretary t.
playful expression. 1t was sent as sucl
and was so understood"
Mr.. Debs then said that within. fiv
days after the strike was declared tn
Union had the railroads beaten.
They were paralyzed," he said, "bu
II just at that time injunctions were sow
# officials of the American Railway Unio
II We're arrested for contempt of court
e That beat us; 1t was not the railroads
Y States Courts that beat us. About tina
=, time a thing occurred which 1 desire I
~ mention. Gen. Miles came to Chicago
n called OH the General Managers Assc
ciation, and the next day was quoted
ID an interview as saying that he ha
e. broken the backbone of the strike.
er Now. l consider that call of Gel
y Miles as vulgarly out Of place. He ha
~ no more right to consult with the Ger
~ u, eral Managers Association than he ha
81 to consult with the men OF our Uniol
IA might say, too, that 1t seems strane
te that all of our Letters and telegram
On were made public property while not
line Of the railro ads correspondence wa
a. Mr.. Debs said that the union had take
a every possible means to prevent riotin
Il and disorder. I'VE objected to the pre-
ence of the Federal troops, but not
ne State troops and police. If rememb,
4. rightly no serious outbreak occurred III
~ til the Federal troops arrived. as the
~ presence infiamed the men"
,e The witness then told of the troub
he with the railroad brotherhoods.
" THE brotherhoods have outived the
AZ usefulness" he said. "and for that re-
is son / left the fremen's organizatio
'S They were, fear, jealous of the Amer
can Railway Union, and Helped to d
feat us. There Is now a movement {
foot to form a grand and united railrot
labor organization. Within three days
proposition will be submitted to the 9th
le railroad orders, whereby all present of
GERS Of the A. r. u. and other unio
shall resign, with no possibility of eie
ton to office. The principal cause.
y. ton will be effected. II the brotherhoo
or will consent, which shall include all ra
Id road employees"