The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1902-02-15
CAeNEGIE'S SPIES
THE HOMESTEAD SYSTEM OF DE-
STROYING LABOR UNIONS.
1t Is Being Adopted by All the Big
EmplOyers-NN Man Allowed to
Work Ii He Belongs to or Favors
Labor Organizatfons-Emp
Labor bureau System of N0teing
Labor Leaders,

Wnen OuISlQerS were uncertain as to
whether the men of the Carnegie group
Of mills would go on strike, the agents
Of the United States Steel company
had reasonably accurate knowledge
that they would remain at work. This
information came from we'll organic
ed spy system which was installed in
the Carnegie service by H. c. Frick
Immediately after the great Homestead
strike. The work, or rather, the re-
suits of this espionage, may be told, but
the system cannot be described. 1t it
has a head, he is not known. 1t must
have many branches or sections, as it
passes from one management to an
other and continues to perform it's
work in the same thorough and relent-
less way. Time after time men have
been called to the office and told they
were no longer employees of the Carne-
ME mills because they had become I'M
ion men. It is sufficient for discharge
for one man to tell another that he is
thinking of joining the union. The
management makes no secret of this
policy. It is thoroughly understood. It
is not discussed by the subordinates,
merely accepted as a matter of fact.
The men Of the towns along the Mo-
nongahela have a. wholesome respect
for the spy system. It turks in the viii
lage store. It reaches the preachers Of
their churches, it searches the hearts
of their children, it hears the gossip of
the old men and women, it knows the
mutterings Of half drunken workmen,
it goes with the mill men on their holi-
day outings, it prizes into the secrets of
their family, and when it finds a trace
Of unionism the knife of the vigilant
manager Immediately slices it off.
Since the Carnegie mills went into
the trust and the constituent COM
panies of the United States Steel COM
pany have had a chance to see the
workings of the perfect spy system of
the Carnegie mills they have taken ad-
vantage of this knowledge and estab-
lished something similar. For instance,
in the sheet steel. steel hoop, and tin
companies of the combination have
been formed labor bureaus. These
have a little more to do than the spy
system Of the Carnegies. The latter
only have to keep employees out of I'M
ions and prevent union men from be-
coming employees. In the other con-
stituent companies union men must
be dealt with. It is a part of the job
of these labor bureaus to keep thor
oughly in touch with the doings in the
union. It is perhaps not their Intention
to control these unions, but the en-
ploying companies certainly seek to
have enough influence to prevent
trouble when it is brewing.
It is more than likely that the spy
system in it's present form originated
They probably have more strike troub-
les than any other corporations, and
have become very experienced in the
task of dealing with labor difficulties.
OF course it is understood that other
railroads have their labor bureaus and
have had for years, probably since the
strike of 1877, but they are very diff
ferent departments from the labor de-
partment of the modern trust In the
latter case it is perfected, like the third
degree Of the Russian police system.
The labor departments Of independent
corporations have thorough UNDER
standings with one another.
The coal miners are the most FESTIVE
Of workers, and there the spy system
is found highly developed. A " dis
turber" will find difficulty in remain-
ing with new employers very long, He
will be located by some travelling i'm
vestigator and got rid Of in some way.
More than likely he will be refused en-
ployment when he asks for it, as he
must furnish the name of the last man
he. worked for, with q reference