Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-09
TWENTY MEN LEAVE SHOPS
Desert the Union Pacific
and Join the Strike
FOrceH.

Twenty men left the Union Pacific
Omaha shops yesterday in a body, %joinina
the strikers This detection occurred
among the men who came out from Boston
Saturday and had been anticipated and
even predicted by the union forces. The
original number of the Bostonians who
went into the shops Saturday was forty
nine, but two left soon after coming. II
was learned shortly after the arrival OF
these men that the majority OF them were
union craftsmen and held cards in their
respective organizations. It is said that II
was their purpose to leave the Union Pa
cihc's employ after a couple OF days in the
shops. They arrived Saturday forenoon,
rested the remainder of that day and Sun
day and were, therefore, over the fatigue
of travel by Monday moyning.
Strikers predict that nearly, II not all,
these forty-nine will leave the shops, and
1t is believed that their detection will set
in motion a wave of discomfort and unrest
among the other shopmen which may re-
suit in a wholesale desertion. The officials
profess to be Indifferent to any such posi-
bility, however, and maintain their ability
to preserve an adequate force of shopmen
at all hazards.
President O'Connell OF the international
Association Of Machinists has sent out a
circular letter from his office in Washing
ton to all business agents Of machinists'
unions appealing for the strongest co-opera-
ton they can muster for the Union Pacific
strikers. In this connection O'Connell
urges the greatest diligence in the matter
OF preventing wherever possible, by legiti-
mate means, the sending Of nonunion labor
ers into shops of the Union Pacific to sup
plant strikers.
This strike must be won," says Presi-
dent o'Connell, "for 1t means much to this
organization. whether It is won or lost"
To demonstrate the active interest taken
in this fight by the international body, the
president calls attention to the fact that he
has sent First Vice President Conlon from
Washington and Third Vice President Null
berry from Chicago, the former to be sta
toned In omaha and the latter on the west
ern end of the Union Pacific division. to
share with the other leaders the RESPONSE
bility Of promoting the struggle against the
Union Pacific for the suppression Of the
piecework system.
Incidentally o'Connell informs the local
machinists that twenty-seven men hired by
the Union Pacific in Boston left that city
Thursday for Omaha, following the forty
nine who came from the Hub Saturday.
Many OF these are union men.
District and local President Kennedy of
the boilermskers has Just returned from
Kansas City. where he went in the interest
Of the strike. He found a lack Of agrees
sion on the part OF the strikers at Arm
strong and arranged to have a large picket
force kept on duty and a more positive
course pursued. He also organized a fed
Grated board among the allied orders en-
gagged in the strike, such as exists here and
which is largely instrumental for prose-
cutting the tight.
District Secretary Grace Of the machin-
lists has reports from Cheyenne which state
that fifteen men left the shops there Satur-
day and two Friday. He also has a letter
from North Platte saying that four Of the
~onunion force there left, but that seven
new ones we're taken In.
j. w. Kline, executive committeeman for
the blacksmiths. has returned from a trip
to Havelock and other places where he has
been organizing the blacksmiths. AT Have
lock he effected an organization OF twenty
OF the Burlington employees and at Platts-
mouth formed a small union also OF Bur
lington men. He got together twenty-five
OF the Northwestern employees at Sioux
City. Mr.. Kline will leave on another or
g~anizing trip, making the towns along the
Northwestern and Burlington routes
where he expects to meet with profitable
results. He says the blacksmiths all over
the country are in the proper mood for or
ganlzation and the greatest dificulty II
getting enough organizers.