The Somerset reporter., 1904-07-28
The Strikes.

meDu, appears TO De on again ana tnlb
time it is labeled flight to the finish
and will affect allied trades. If the
parties directly involved we're the only
ones concerned and the only ones to suf-
fer, it would not be 80 bad, but as usual
the innocent third party, the public, is
bound to suffer the most. The country
is threatened with huge labor war that
can do no good, but will do much hurt.
Thousands of people beside the many
strikers will be thrown out of employ
ment in many parts of the country and
those dependent upon them cannot fail
of want and suffering to a greater or less
extent. Business will be disturbed all
over the country and the disturbance
will not be limited by the bounds of
this country.
Last Wednesday the representatives
of the parties met and made an agree
ment for calling of the strike and re-
Stunning work, on the basis of submitting
the dispute to arbitration. The agree
were so clear that there seems no reason
why they should not have been under
stood by any intelligent man. The
agreement provided that the packing
companies might retain all employees
now at work who wish to remain and
will reemploy all employees now out as
fnp nj 4 icar inn
1t was also provided that any former
employe not hired back within forty-fi We
days should have the privilege of sub
hitting his case to arbitration, on ques-
ton of discrimination.
In cases of disagreement between
bodies of men there is almost invariably
fault on both sides. Had packers and
employees been more conciliatory there
would probably have been little trouble
in carrying out in spirit the terms of the
agreement, but by overbearing AFRO
gance on the part of leaders on each
side trouble came speedily. Packers is
sued circular setting forth their views
|
won the point for which they contended,
namely, the retention of the new hands
employed and that the agreement was
in no sense a guarantee that strikers
would be given the places filled there
by non union men. This may have been
correct but it's publication in a Boosting
|
offence to the strikers and was a factor
in bringing about the renewal of the
strike the next day.
The strikers assembled at the plants,
Friday morning, to resume work, but
within half an hour were ordered out
again, on the ground that the packers
had violated the agreement and were
discriminating. Various instances of
unfairness and insolence by superintend-
ents and foreman were alleged. In the
subsequent negotiations they repeatedly
denied any intentional determinations,
ard claimed that they were gwen only
fifteen minutes by the unions to repair
any errors that might have been made
Al this juncture the strike leaders act
ed with unreasonable assumption They
arbitrarily declared the agreement null
and void and proceeded to offer other
terms more favorable to themselves, &C
| companied by threat to call a general
| strike if they were not accepted. The
packers could not accept without back
ing down entirely, but having said that
they were ready to carry out the origin
al agreement in good faith, they pro-
ceeded to hire hep where they could
get it, Thereupon general strike of
the allied trades was called, Monday,
and Chicago and the other packing cities
are in for a bitter labor war, the end
and results of which cannot be foretold
In Fall River the situation is little
better, but the effect is not 80 damaging
to other lines of business outside of
that city. the strike order issued by
the Fall River Textile council calling
for upwards of $1,000 operatives to re-
main away from the mills, Monday, in
protest against reduction of 121a per
cent in wages, became effective, Monday,
and the response was as general as the
labor leaders had predicted. In the
thirty-seven mill corporations involved
in the agreement to reduce wages but
few, comparatively, of the usual force
went TO work
The companies involved in the strike
operate 80 mills with about 2,25O,000
spindles and a weekly product when
running in full of more than q00, 900, 600
yards of cloth. They represent an IT,
vestment of more than $25, 900, 600.
There was no disturbance or demon
stration by the operatives
At Chicago the situation remains with
out marked change. Packers are hiring
men wherever they can and more men
are joining the strikers. There seems
to be little prospect of early settlement.
A conference held under the auspices
of the State borad of Arbitration, yes-
terday, VAS unsuccessful but further
conference is expected today. Police
rules prevail at the stock yards.
Swift & Co. lost their lard refinery
plant in the stock yards by fire, yester
day. The fire was first supposed to have
been incendiary but later it appeared the
cause was an over-heated dynamo.
At Fall River the strike, regardless of