The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-27
1t Declines. However, to Recognize
the Right of Walking Delegates
to Interfere for Employees.
STATEMENT FROM o'C0NNELI
THE QUESTION OF A GENERAL
STRIKE NOT YET DECIDED.
Card in Behalf Of Manufacturers
cised by a Chicago Contractor.

CHICAGO, March 26.-Over a hundred
striking machinists. formerly employed by
the Siemens & Halsek Company, to-day re-
turned to work for that corporation. their
demands for a nine-hours working day
and a minimum scale of wages having
been granted. The firm, however. refused
to recognize the business agent, otherwise
the walking delegate, and negotiations
were conducted through a shop committee,
which will hereafter negotiate with the
management in place of the business
agent All difficulties that may hereafter
arise will be referred TO arbitration for
settlement. The settlement of the strike is
looked on in the nature of a compromise,
though both sides claim a victory. Labor
leaders claim that negotiations are being
conducted with other shops for the return
to work of the striking machinists under
similar conditions. Efforts of several other
machinery manufacturers to open their
shops to-day met with failure no men
appeared for work in response to adj
vertisements.
President James O'Connell, of the Ma
chinists' international Union. returned to
Cleveland to-day. He stated he had not
seen or communicated with the officials of
the National Metal Association. President
OConnell said the question as to whether
general strike of the machinists would
take place on April / was still undecided.
'In Chicago" he said, 1.-The situation is
very encouraging for us. A number of big
manufacturers there have indicated their
willingness to grant our demands, pro-
vided they can do so without FORGETTING
the $1,000 deposit by each party to the man.
ufacturers' agreement. The latter prohib-
its the employers from granting the de-
mands made by us. We have, however,
worked out a plan whereby the Chicago
manufacturers can cOncede our demands
and at the same time save their 1000 The
National Metal Association wants us to de-
clare off the several strikes now on before
they will arbitrate the differences. If they
would consent to have the matter settled
by arbitration at once We would consider
the proposition. This, i understand, how
ever, they will not do. The manufacturers
in Cleveland, l am told, expect to have
machinists sent here from other points, as
provided for in the National Metal Asso-
citation bylaws. If men are sent here or TO
Chicago from any outside point strike of
the machinists will be Immediately de-
clared wherever the men are sent from.
Mr.. O'Connell refused to discuss the pro-
posed strike of machinists in the New
York district, further tnan to say that he
should go to New York within few days
to look over the ground. He added that
strike within the near future.
The Chicago Association of Machinery
Manufacturers tonight issued card
behalf of sixty-eight prominent manufac-
turers belonging to the association denying
a statement that many of the manufacture
ing concerns in Chicago have signed with
the International Association of Machinists
recognizing the hours of labor, the rate of
wages and the right of the union to control
their shops. The card says: This state
ment. so far as the members of this asso-
citation are concerned, is false. The Nor
gan-Gardner Company, through its general
manager. MIR. Ryan, has denied the charge
and dsclaims all recognition of the union
and states that the Morgan-Gardner agree
ment is with twenty-seven other men sole
ly and individually: the Walburn & Sven
son Company has denied that any agree
ment exists between Ii and the union and
that it's workmen returned individually,
with the exception of men who were in
strumental in fomenting trouble whom 1T
refused to re-employ. The Siemans-Haske
Company has signed an agreement with
committee from it's own shop. representing
its own workmen only. Other names than
the three stated above, published as having
signed the agreement, are unknown to this
association"