The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-07-30

sent TO the philippines;
SAN FRANCISCO LABOR COUNCIL.
Affiliated with the American Federation OF
Labor, 1859 Mission street
SAN FRANCISCO. July Is. 1893.
To the GoyeTnor and Citizens ms. q War De-
partrnent has decided to muster out al tne
returning volunteers at San Francisco. requests
and appeals OF the people of the respective
States who asked that the troops be disbandeo
in the States they came from having Dsen no Grs
Gil the federation of the trades unions OF TINS
city calls your attention to the evlls lneS,ao1 ~
to result should the War Department adhere 10
its announced policy, In the nope tnat PSotic
sentiment will be aroused strong enough 70
compel the administration TO listen 10 coLiihoA4
The strange action of the department in this
matter can be explained only by inferrlng the
following motives. which conditions compel us
to note: First. the desire TO unduly MOOD the
labor market and thus check the struggle Oh
the workingmen for improved conditions; sec
ondly. to compel the volunteers. driven by
want and restitution to re-enlist; thlroly; 70
preven the return OF the volunteers to their
homes where to their friends and relatives
they would undoubtedly give the true version
. of the people the climate and the general con-
dtions in the Philippines produced by our
war of conquest.
The great majority of the returning voiun-
teers, when paid off, will quickly spend their
sires and young. and San Francisco has the
reputation of being able and willing to turnis 5
attractions. With money gone. the destitute
soldiers will be compelled to seek work. " n
Then want and suffering will be their lot. for
the conditions for securing employment in
San Francisco and vicinity are different from
those in the Eastern and Middle States, there
being no other industrial centers Wlthln easy
reach that could absorb surplus labor: 1t is
hard to beat the trains in the West, the rail-
roads putting off men compelled 10 stedt
often miserabiy perish 1t is certain that the
railroad corporations Will show no more PITY
for the soldier tramp than they do for the
to secure employment here will have TO take
lOCal JEOTk WIN n m
TO support In turn would become tramps ana
sufferers. Twenty-Five thousand men II. thrown ''Ti
cause a congestion of the labor market, with
he states Ry would be- Useful and
beneficial to themselves and their fellow-citi-
zens.
Many of the volunteers. If discharged mere;
will die. Destitute, without family ties and
the Of the majority s59 Of tine tb
they are Undertaking local workmen, the SOL
d,ers, cnfeebled through the hardships in a
lodging houses in overcrowded hospitals end
lonely country roads
fight against their own convictions, In a use
less and endless war Then Philippine swamps
and Filipino bullets will finish the wo-k OF de-
The censor in the Philippines now forbidJ the
the horrors of the and the tremendous
sacrifices the people Of this country will have
for the exploitation by carpet baggers and
corporations Returned to their homes. the
American people the real conditions in the
Philippines and a death-knell would be
sounded the un-American policy OF conquest
and buster.
Mr. Governor. will the people of your State
permit the War Department to add this crime
to the horrors of Camp Chickamauga, Camp
Merritt and of embalmed beef? Let us assure
you that these horrors will pale into insignih-
canoe with those to result from the disband-
ment of all the volunteers in San Francisco.
We ask you to your utmost influence on
the administration to change its present policy
regarding the mastering out OF volunteers. We
appeal to the fathers. mothers, wives, brothers,
sisters and friends of the volunteers 10 work
and pray for the direct return of their loved
ones If our appeal fails there will be untold
be anguish and pain in every State that sent
her sons to fight. Mr.. Governor and fellow
citizens. let your protest and appeal be heard
loud and strong and persistent.
Under Misrepresentation from selfish and in
terested parties. some of the volunteer regiments
have asked to be mustered out in San Fran
CISCO thus supporting the War Department in
its criminal policy. When the volunteers real
lie what is in store for them here they will
add their voice to yours for a discharge at
home. Ask their friends and relatives to at
once communicate with them. Only prompt
action can crime and horror.
Trusting that this appeal of the working men
and of San Francisco will receive your
careful consideration, and then hearty CO.
operation 1 am. by order of the San Francisco
Labor Council. yours sincerely.
ED ROSENBERG.
Recording and Corresponding Secretary.
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