Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-13
THE STRIKE REPORT
The Appointment of Permanent
Commission Recommended.
CAUSES OF THE CHICAGO TROUBLE
Criticism Bestowed on the Railroad
and Pullman Company Policy.
Q r Ct A n z E d l. A B o r
O r G A n II ED L "A B o r


pany and the Chicago. Rock Island and Pa
cifc Railroad Company and certain of their
employees has transmitted its report to the
President. 1t deals extensively with the
General Managers Association and the
American Railway Union and is signed by
Col. Carroll ID. Wright, United States COM
missioner OF labor: John d. Herman of New
York and Nicholas E. worthngton of I'LL
nois
The commission met at the United States
dist let court room In Chicago on August
10. During the session of thirteen days at
Chicago" the report states, the commits
sion examined one hundred and seven wit
nesses, who were either presented by the
parties or cited to appear. At an adjourned
session, held In Washington. September &C.
two witnesses appeared, making a total of
one HUNDRED ana zine.
'At the first hearing ii developed that the
Pullman employees very generally became
members of the American Railway Union
in March and April, 1894, and that the nine
teen local unions which they had formed
had declared a strike at Pullman; also that
the railroad companies named in the Presi-
dents commission were members OF the
General Managers Association.
The contest was chiefly between these
two organizations, and hence nothing re-
lating to the strike at Pullman Chicago
that affected members of either organiza-
ton could ce excluded not germane to
the subject under investigation. AS mat
ter of discretion, the commission believed
1t wise to permit the broadcast latitude of
inquiry, inasmuch the directions to the
commission were TO examine the causes of
and the conditions accompanying the con-
troversieS.'
LOSSES and Crimes.
According to the testimony the railroads
lost In property destroyed. hire of United
States deputy marshals and other incidental
Laos he los q
ings Of these roads is estimated at si,672,-
GIG. Some 800 employees at Pullman lost
in wages, as estimated, at least S35O.OOO.
About 100000 employees upon the twenty
four railroads Centering at Chicago all or
which were more or less involved In tho
strike, lost in wages, as estimated, at least
$l,3Sy 143 Many of these employees are
still adrift and losing wages.
Beyond these amounts, very great losses
widely distributed were incidentally suf-
fered throughout the country. The suspen-
sion of transportation at Chicago paralyzed
a vast distributive center, and imposed
many hardships and much loss upon the
great number Of people whose manufactur-
ing and business operations, employment,
travel and necessary supplies depend upon
and demand regular transportation service
to- from and through Chicago.
During the strike the fatalities, arrests.
indictments and disnissals of charges for
strike offenses in Chicago and vicinity were
as follows: Number shot and fatally
wounded, -; number arrested by the police.
SIS; number arrested under United States
statutes and against whom indictments
were found, n; number arrested against
whom indictments were not found, 49,"
The charges againSt those arrested are
recited at considerable length.
The total number of United States troops.
state militia, police. deputy marshals and
deputy sheriffs, employed for the protec-
ton of city, state and federal property and
for the preservation of order. is given as
IA, 1856 The history of the Pullman Palace
Car Company and the town of Pullman are
reviewed.
American Railway Union.
OF the American Railway Union the re-
port says:
This is an association Of about 10000
railroad employees, as alleged organized at
Chicago on the Doth of June, 1893, for the
purpose of including railway employees born
of white parents in one great brotherhood.
1.-The theory Underlying this movement Is
that the organization of different classes Of
railroad employees Ito the number of about
100000 upon the trades-union IDEA has
ceased to be useful or adequate; that pride
of organization, petty tealousies and the
conflict of views into which men are trained
in separate organizations under different
leaders, tend to defeat the common object
of all, and enable railroads to use such or
CARNATIONS against each other in conten-
tions over wages, etc; that the rapid con-
centration of railroad capital and manage
ment demands a like union of their en-
ployes for the purpose of mutual protec-
ton; that the interests of each of the
$4,000 and over railroad employees of the
United States as to wages, treatment hours
of labor, legislation, insurance mutual aid.
ETC., are common to AL, and hence all ought
to belong to one organization that shall
assert it's united strength in the protection
of the rights of every member.
1.-The American FEEDER alton OF Labor, COM
posed of affiliated unions, with a member
ship of over 100000 also tends In the 6irec-
At Of Aar fnp lob 'ha aar
of the Knights of Labor, with an estimated
membership of from 10000 to 175,O0. has
always advocated the solidarity Of labor.
Position of the Pullman Company.
''In the American Railway Union there
are departments of literature and education,
legislation, cooperation, mediation, insur-
ance, etc.
1.-The omission Of q direct provision In
the constitution of the American Railway
Union for the punishment or disqualified
ton of a member who commits or insti-
gates violence toward persons or property
in strikes is a usual and a grievous omis-
sion, and deserves severe condemnation.
Until labor organizations take hold of this
question vigorously and control their own
members effectually they are certain to lose
sympathy in their contentious and to be
defeated, even though their cause be just
and deserve success.
THE Pullman company Is hostile to the
idea of comforting with organized labor in
the settlement. OF differences arising be-
tween it and its employees. The position OF
the company in this respect is clearly
stated in the testimony of Mir. Wickes, it's
second vice president.
Since the strike withdrawal from tho
American Railway Union is required from
those seeking work. The company does not
recognize that labor organizations have any
place or necessity in Pullman, where the
company fixes wages and rents, ana re-
fuses to treat with labor ORGANIZATIONS
The laborer can work or quit on the terms
offered; that Is the limit of his rights 10
Join a labor Organization in order 10 secure
the protection of union against wrongs.
real or ina ginary, Is overstepping the Inn
ii and arouses hostility.
ut is undoubtedly true that the officers
and directors of the American Railway
Union did not want strike at Pullman,
and that they advised against 1t, but the
exaggerated idea of the power of the union.
which induced the worimen at Pullman to
Join the order, led to their striking against
this advice. Having struck, the union
could do nothing less, upon the theory at
its base, than support them
General Managers Association.
I'm March, 1893, the correspondence be-
tween the chairman of the General Man.
ayers Association and the chairman of the
Switchmen's Mutual Aid Association of