The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-07-09
SAY STRIKE WILL WIN.
Maohinists' officials Deny the
Statements Made by W.
J. Chalmers,


International Association of Machinists
deny the statement made by ". j..
Chalmers Of Chicago, to the effect that
the machinists' strike is broken, and that
the strikers are returning to work all
over the country on employers terms
President O'Connell left the city last
night, but Vice Presidents Wilson and
Conlon and General Secretary Preston
are here, and they enter most emphatic
counter upon Mr.. Chalmers statement.
'You may say" remarked Secretary
Preston, that Mr.. Chalmers is simply
trying to brace up the employers and
restore their nerve at this critical june
ture. The Metal Trades Union knows
that we have them whipped, and they
are whistling to keep their courage up.
ut is not true that great number of
men are going back to work without
securing an agreement from the employ
ers to cOncede our demands. A few are
deserving us, and in some places, of
course. we are getting the worst of it
CHICAGO A WEAK SPOT.
"Chicago is one of the weakest places
in our movement, and the battle there is
a pretty bitter one. But we have not
lost the fight, even in Chicago. As for
our being beaten throughout the country
generally, that is nonsense. All told,
about $4,000 men have gone on strike
from first to last. Less than 10000 are
now out. Thrty-seven thousand men
have won practically all we asked from
the employers-the nine hour day and
advance Of 12h per cent. Mr. Chalmers
says:
In nearly all of the places the men
have gone back to work on terms not as
favorable as the 81 per cent. increase
and nine hour day which was offered the
machinists by the Chicago manufacturers
before the strike was declared here
"AIr. Chalmers is mistaken. 1t is true
that in some places we have authorized
our men to accept less than the whole
demand. A number of shops have signed
agreements for something less than our
original demand. But the great majority
have signed the full scale, and the great
majority of the men who have gone back
to work have done so upon compliance
with our demands in-full.
CITES NOTABLE VICTORIES.
"Duding the past ten days the follow
ing firms have signed our agreement in
full: Hoe Printing Press Company, Goss
Printing Press Company, National Cash
Register Company, ]. L. Moore 4 Sons,
Elizabethport; Case Engine Company,
Nation, Ill.,. Buffalo Forge Company,
Gould Pump Company. These firms to-
gcthcr employ 1886 men.
'Alr. Chalmers intiWates that we have
opposed the introduction of labor-saying
machinery, and that the employers have
gained a victory in refusing to be bound
by any rules limiting the introduction and
use of machinery. We have made no
such fight against machinery. We have
not attempted to control the manufactWr-
ers in that respect.
ut is true that the rapid introduction
of machinery was one of the causes of
our movement. We saw that the. output
of shops was going to be so much in
creased that unless We did something we
should many Of us, be put in the streets.
We thought it no more than right that
the employers should divide with the men
some of the advantages to be developed
by the art and the employment of high
rlass machinery. So we asked for the
nine hour day and slight increase in
wages.
UNION HAS NOT REEN IGNORED.
"Mr. Chalmers says the employers have
refused to sign agreements and have thus
avoided recognition of the union, leaving
them free to employ non-union men as
much AS they please. He is not correct
when he says this has been generally |
lone. 1t has in a few cases, where we
lave lost, but generally speaking, and |
n the great majority of instances firms |
ave signed our agreement in full. Mr.. !
chalmers goes altogether beyond the |
ruth in his effort to brace up his asso-
,iates.' !
Vice President COnlon, who came from
Cincinnati this morning. says that city
S practically tied up. Not more than
'eventy-6ve machinists are at work in
he town. One hundred men were at
work early In the week. but most of
hem came out, and then the Fay Egan
'eople sought and obtained federal in
uncton.
81 wish things were in as good shape
n Chicago and some other places as they
re in Cincinnati" said Mr.. Conlon.
Our men are going to win out all along
he line in Cincinnati. Why, the Laid
avs offered us tifty-eight hours' pay
or fifty-fve hours work, and the men
ef,,sed it in a body, though advised
hem to accept it.
BEATEN FOR HIS SUGGESTION.
"One Of them had such deep feeling
bout the matter that he hit me over
he eye. and they threatened to put me
ut OF the hall.
"Mr. Chalmers is all wrong in his state
nents about the general situation. He
axes a few instances and magnifes them
nto generalization.
perhaps things are not going as well
nth us in Chicago as we would like, but
'hicago is not the whole country, and
ven there I believe we shall ultimately
Tin out. Why, il every one of the 10000
len who are are now out should desert
s md go back to work without gaining
ny concessions the strike would still be
success. We have already won more
nan enough to justify the movement.
tut the end is not yet, and we are going
} win a good deal more before we get
trough with It,"
The officials of the international asso-
ation do not deny that critical period
the strike has now been reached. The
nancial situation is becoming more and
lore pressing every day. 1--WE need
bout $4,000 week to keep our 10000
len going at IS a week EACH" said Gen
'al Secretary and Treasurer Preston.
ihat is a good deal Of money to pay
ut every week, hut think we can man.
ge It.
CAN MUSTER $4,000 A WEEK.
"nvery one Of the $1,000 men now at
ork pays an assessment Of 50 cents a
eek to help those who are out, and this