The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-08-29

CHICAGO, Aug. 25.-Presdent Debs, of
the A. r. u. was recalled today by the
strike commissioners
IN reply to questions he stated that he
oio not favor compulsory arbitration in the
Settiement OF labor troubles He did not
peheve, he said, that such a method
would prove generally satisfactory. Mr.
Deps was asked If he knew of any dissat-
isiactlon among the Rock Island employees
previous TO the strike. He said that there
nau been trouble among the telegraphers
u .ne ROAD and that there was much dis
Satisfaction. Questioned as to the state
nlent that there were not more than 200
a. X. u men on the Rock Island the wit
ness SAID the statement was absurd.
Inc fact that the road was completely
tied up, Debs added, "effectually disproves
such story"
Samuel Gompers president of the An,eri
can Federation OF Labor, was the next
witness President Gompers prefaced his
remarks by brief outline of the aims and
principles of the federation and gave fig
ures showing the membership of the organ
ization.
The witness told of the calling of the
conference of the heads of labor organiza-
tons which was held at the Briggs House,
IN Chicago He said that after long DELHI
Grafton the delegates decided to request
the strike.
I'VE thought" Gompers said, that if
MT. Gladstone could do such good service
IN the English coal strikes, such an at
tempt would not be beneath the dignity of
the president of the United States Ac-
cordlngly telegram was sent to Mr.
cleveland asking his aid. To that message
he did not degn to reply. In fact he
took not the slightest notice of it, Mr.
DebS was then called upon and gave a
history Inc,
BILE and the railroad strike We considered
the matter carefully and finally decided
that we could not order a general strike
lhat 1t would be us'rpatio of power,
ana would for MANY reasons be unWiSe
The delegates expressed their sympat thy
with the movement and soon afterwards
we adjourned
Mr. Gompers then read from the secre-
tarys report detailed statement of the
proceedings of the conference.
Mr. Gompers explained that to effect a
general strike all the unions participating
must agree on the action. and said that it
would have been impossible for the Briggs
House conference to have declared a gen
eral sympathetic tic up.
He was asked for his opinions as to
methoas for preventing strikes.
L DO rot condemn strikes heartily as
do some men, he said. Il believe that so
long as present conditions exist they are
necessary, and | believe that all strikes do
good in calling attention to the fact that
the laboring man will not be driven fur
ther down into poverty. L think the ac-
ton OF the strikers i'll paralyZing the rail-
roads of the country was juStifia ble''
The witness rather frankly uncomDli-
n.entary in his opinions regarding the COM
mission
Il think this thing is rather late in the
day" he said. This examination by the
commissioners is rather in the nature of
an inquest on dead body. l do not an
ticipate great good from the present in
VeStigatiOn.''
The witness had something he wanted
to say about the injunction issued by the
court. He held that tnese injunctions We're
nerce law; that the law was not intended
to apply to labor organizations. He said
the injunctions were based on court-mad de
laws, upon decisions given in the absence
of law.
When Mr.. Gompers finished the commits
sion adjourned until Monday.
An error crept into last nights report
of the proceedings before the commission
The statement was made that Mr.. ST John
general manager of the Rock Island road
testified that list of names had been pre-
pared for the General Managers Associa-
ton containing the names of the most act
i've strikers. Mr.. ST. John made no such
statement, but testified that neither the
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific company
nor the General Managers Associa ton
had ever kept a blacklist, or that they had
such a list at this time. He testified that
he had secured information regarding the
strikers from detectives who We're employed
and who attended the strikers. meetings
and reported to the various companies
matters of interest to them.