Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-16
EXISTS IN THEORY
As Matter of Fact the Great Strike
is Dead.
DEBS Ell AL. GONE INTO RETIREMENT
Rumor That Engineers VIII Go Out
Tomorrow.
BS ET al. GONE INTO RETIREMENT
THE MEN BECOME SUSPICIOUS

special Dlspatch From q STAN Correspondent
CHICAGO. July 16.-with hourly notifi-
cation from Eugene v. Debs emphatically
to the effect that the strike Is still "on,"
and with the declarations no less vigorous
from the railroad maragers as to the ex-
treme "ofiness' o: the struggle, 1t Is not
easy to make up ones mind as to the real
condition OF affairs. Theoretically, the
strike still exists. and. IL Mr. Debs Is to be
believed. It will continue to exist until the
bottomless pit has been filled with an icy
ceiliI 8, but, as plain matter of fact, the
strike has been deader than Prendergast
for some hours
At the Debs headquarte-s-where by the
way, the light OF Debs' countenance Is no
longer on exhibition-there Is great show
OF indignation when any one dares inti-
mate that the American Railway Union
has gone into the shops for repairs. but
none Of the indignant ones-who are but
few-will vouchsafe information corrobora-
tive of their expressed belief that within
two or three days the world would be sur
prised and enlightened by something more
that Debs was either going to do or to have
done for him The 'ntimation is made by
one Of the minor lights of the organiza-
ton that by Tuesday influences now work.
Ing beneath the almost placid surface will
bership of the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers. The threat Is here regarded as
being empty enough to serve Mr. Sow
ereign for head. Chief Arthur has al
ready declared himself as opposed to a
sympathy strike. and. although 1t has been
said by HIS rivals that his opposition to
Debs was due to jealousy. IL is nevertheless
true that the majority of the engineers are
In hearty accord with him. whom they have
so often elected to watch over their best
interests. II the locomotive engineers come
out tomorrow, on any other day, be-
cause Dehs wants them to. there will be
several surprised and disappointed people
In the United States The very abuse
showered upon Arthur by Debs is testi-
mony which indicates to those who are
watching tie so-called leaders pull strings
against each other the impossibility Of any
thing like harmonious action being agreed
upon at this time.
Had the strike been declared on stimuli
taneously with the issuing of Sovereign's
appeal to the Knights the struggle might
have been considerably prolonged, but
nriShtier revivins influences than any now
known to be in operation will be needed to
bring about resumption of voluntary idle
ness. number of meetings of labor or
CARNATIONS have been announced during
the past day or two, but the great major
fty were never held, because the men have
become suspicious of their so-called leaders
The condition Of affairs has changed much
within the week gone by.
Debs. until last night, has since Friday
been an almost invisible individual. How
ard-marvelous to relate-is no more con-
spicuous. Sovereign has every appearance
of being counterfeit. 1t is being steadily
rIlmOrp1 he nf In hat
the general master workman of the knights
will soon resign-that he suffers deeply
from chagrin caused by the icy manner
In which the body~over which he thought he
reigned treats that manifesto which SEEM
ed unto it's author powerful enough to
shake the commercial world to it's core
The few who really know Sovereign de-
clare the rumor ridiculous, for he is not,
they insist, one of the resigning kind.
These matters aside, however. 1t is certain
that the multitude believes the strike to be
done. The multitude is doing it's utmost to
return to work and at the present writing
Is hopeful of success.
What changes may be wrought today
cannot possibly be foresnadowei.
Plans of Arbitration.
Conservative Chicago-the representatives
of the big business interests-is strong in
which the possibilities of any more such
troubles as those on hand may be mate
rally lessened. Compulsory arbitration is
of course regarded as mpracticable. but
there is unmistakable sentiment favorable
to the creation OF court in which all
the facts and issues involved shall be made
plain. Eoicing the belief of those whose
interests in this city are very great. The
Economist says: But the great lesson
- outbreak
sity of some means recognized by the laws
for arbitratinS differences between employ
ers and employed.
mo arbitration and no power of the gov
ernr1ent can compel an employer to agree
to the payment of certain schedule of
wages against his will, or an employe to
accept such, wages unless he chooses; but
II the claims OF both disputants are laid
before an impartial tribunal, If that tri-
bunal renders it's decision, and If the facts
are made public, either of the parties would
hesitate before encoun tering the criticism
tfat a refusal to abide by the decision
would provoke. In nearly all our leading
Industries, two parties confront each other,
q combination of capitalists and combina-
ton of laborers. In many instances their
interests appear to be antagonistic. Let
the two parties agree that in case of any
dispute board OF arbitration shall hear the
opposing claims and shall render decision
from which there can be appeal. Pub
lie opinion would to the enforcement
of the decision If either party showed a
would not indeed be a perfect panacea for
all the ills OF the labor market. but it
would go far toward remedying some Of the
greatest evils of the time"
The remedy has the Endorsement of many
of the men who have made Chicago so
great. and 1t is quite probable that even
III the general government fails to create
that sort of court one will be organized
for use in the state OF Illinois.
Showers OF abuse from strikers are pour
ing down in torrents On the heads OF the
general managers, who. until short time
ago. composed the General Managers AS
sociation. They returned unopened the writ
ten proposition submitted by Debs through
the instrumentality of Mayor Hopkins, and
adjourned sine die. Throughout all the dis
turbanceS the association has never Off
cIally admitted the existence of the An.eri-
can Railway Union, but no time was its
disregard of DebS 50 cCntemptuous now.
1t may easily be that this spirit of inde-
pendence will work harm. for although the
memhars of the Switchmen's Union have
been told to get back to work if they can.
there are many who know that resumption
Is at present impossible. so far they
personally are concerned.
In spite of the collapse of the strike, and