The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-19
TO TRY SHOTGUN.
Harsher Methods of Dealing
With st. Louis Strike.
Seventy Railway Employees in
Hospital.

St. Louis, May 1s.-The street railway
strike situation today is without ma
terial change so far as the number of
cars in operation is concerned. So far
as can be learned, the st. Louis Transit
company today has in operation on
fourteen of the % lines composing it's
system, about $50 cars. Comparison of
that number with 800 which were in op
GRAFTON before the strike began indicates
very clearly under what adverse condi-
tions the Transit company is laboring.
On the part of the street railway COM
pany, it is claimed that the want Of
proper protection of the lines is one
cause for this condition, but the strikers
declare that the company has not enough
men with which to operate more.
During the past few days the inter-
ference by mobs has become so general
and the casualties reported so many
that it is stated today the authorities
will arm the police officers guarding the
cars with shotguns. loaded with buck
shot. They will be instructed, it is
stated, to fire into mObS which attempt
to interfere with the running of cars or
with their crews in the discharge Of
their duty.
So far nearly 70 employees of the Tran
sit company, mostly motormen, have
been under the surgeons care since the
strike began. Most of the cases are
trifiing, cuts and bruises from fists or
rocks predominating, but there are some
serious ones in the number. In many
of the sheds and power houses of the
St. Louis Transit company hospitals
have been established and there are
patients in almost all of them. The
patients are employees of the company
who were beaten by crowds of strikers
or their sympathiZers.
The action of the trades and labor
union last night in adopting a resolu-
tion recommending that labor unioniSts
quit work on a call from the executive
committee of that body has put a differ
ent aspect on affairs and complicated
matters.
1t remains to be seen, however, how
many of the different unions will order
| sympathy strike. Each union must
settle the matter for itself by three
fourths vote. At least two of These
| unions will not, go out. These are the
/ typographical and pressmen's organiza-
| tions.
| Mr.. c. P. Connolly, president of the
local Typographical union,s one of tbs
strongest in the city, while discussing
! the possibility of a sympathetic strike
| said today:
THE subject seems to be generally
misunderstood. From conversations
with men in the trades judge there is
| an impression that a mass meeting OF
/ labor men can order a sympathy strike
| AS a matter of fact, no body of men can
| force such a movement. 1t is a matter
that each union must settle for itself
and a three-fourthS vote is necessary
to make it effective. The largest and
strongest unions of the country are Sc
| guarded by international and local laws
that a sympathy strike practically is
impossible, should even a large percent
age of the local unions favor it
But there is another consideration
| that with the long established and in
1 f1uential unions has great weight, with
out consider the safeguarding unioI
| laws. It is this: The very foundation
/ Of organized labor is it's purpose anC
ability to keep faith with the contract
ing party of the other part, the en-
ployer If the union, having made al
agreement with the employer, and hav
ing no difference with him, strikes il
sympathy with some other union, no
affiliated with it, of what value is tn
agreement? It is not worth the pape
on which it is written. On what groun'
could the union base a proposition 70
a new agreement at any future time:
"A sympathy strike by a union Whlcl
has no grievance would mean that tn
union regarded it's agreement with tn
employers as binding upon the EN-
ployer only. No real union man woul
support that proposition fer a moment
This consideration is assurance [
my mind that, while organized labor o
St Louis will aid the strikers in ever
legitimate way-by contributions an