The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1894-07-11
PRES DENT DE1S
Issues Statement Explaining the Cause
OF the Big StrikO-Grlevances OF the Pull
man Employees Graphically Described.

OF the Big StrikO-Grlevances OF the Pull
man Employees Graphically Described.
CHICAGO, July 6.-Eugene V. Debs,
president Of the A. R. u, has issued
long statement in justification of the
great strike, of which he is the central
figure. The article is addressed ITO
the public" and reads in part as fol-
lows:
THE Pullman employees who struck
on May 8 last, did so entirely of their
own accord. The officers of the Amer
lean Railway union used all their in
fuence to pacify the employees and ad-
vised them repeatedly not to strike but
to bear patiently their grievances until
apeaceable settlement could be effected.
To the truth of this statement the en-
ployes themselves will bear willing tes-
timony. But the grievances Of the en-
ployes, men and women, had become 80
aggravated, so calling, that patience
deserted them and they abandoned
their employment rather than submit
longer to conditions against which
their very souls rebelled.
The Pullman company, be it under
stood, owns the town of Pullman, owns
the houses, the homes Of the employees,
controls the light and water and other
necessaries of life, and wages are so ad-
Justed to living expenses, that in q
large majority of cases the emplo yes are
barely able to support their families.
At the time they struck the employees
were in arrears to the Pullman COM
pany $4,000 for rent alone Wages
have been repeatedly reduced, but rent
and other expenses remained the same.
The employees from the beginning have
been willing TO arbitrate their differ
ences with the company, but the COM
pany arrogantly declares that there is
nothing to arbitrate. II this be true,
why not allow board of fair and i'm
partial arbitrators determine the fact.
Committee after committee waited
upon the officials of the Pullman COM
pany, but all their advances were re-
PEELED. Finally, on June IL, the dele
gates Of the American Railway union,
representing 425 local unions of railway
employees, discussed the Pullman
trouble at Chicago, and as last resort
the delegates determined that unless
the Pullman company could agree to do
justice to their employees within five
days the members of the order would
decline to haul Pullman cars. This ac-
tion, be it remembered, was not taken
until the strike had been on six weeks.
Up TO this point the trouble was con-
fined to the Pullman company and its
employees. How then did the strike ex-
tend TO the railways? Let the answer
be given in accordance with the facts.
"The day before the order of the del
egates declining to haul Pullman cars
went into effect the General Managers
association representing the principal
western railways, met and passed a
series of resolutions declaring in sub,
stance that they would uphold the Pull
man company in its fight upon the en-
4 ployes, that they would haul Pullman
cars and that they would stand togeth'
er in crushing out the American Rail
/ way uuADhss ~ WILL lhub De btth liza
the railway companies virtually Joined
forces with the Pullman company, went
into partnership with them so to speak
TO reduce and defeat their half-starved
employees In this way the trouble was
extended from system to system until a
crisis has been reached.
"The business of the country is de
morali2ed to an extent that defes ex'
aggeration. TO say that the situation
is alarming is entirely within the
bounds OF prudent statement. Every
good citizen must view the outlook
with grave concern. The American
people are peace-loving people-they
want neither anarchy nor revolution
They have faith in their institutions
they believe in law and order, they be.
lieve in good government; but they
also believe in fair play. Once aroused
they will not tolerate arbitrary and
dictatorial defiance, even on the part OF
an alliance of rich and powerful corpor
ations"