The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-13
IS LARGEST STRIKE IN
 HISTORY Of INDUSTRY
Packers Say They Cannot Increase Wages, and Strikers Say They Are Fighting to Prevent De-
 crease In Wages.

 stubborn disagreement, chiefly over wages for unskilled labor, one of the most ex- tensive strikes in the history of the pack ing industry in the United States began in Chicago today, Kansas City. Omaha St. Joseph. Mo. and other cities, where large packing plants are located 1T pro- longed, the strike is expected to cause widespread inconvenience possibly equal ing the anthracite coal strike of two years ago.
 The unanimity of the strike was com plete More than 45.00o employees are di- rectly involved. In Chicago alone ls,Ou0 men are on a strike. The effect of the strike upon the food supply of the coun- try and the price of meats Is being earn estiy discussed, notwithstanding that an announcement was made tonight that the hacking houses, contrary to somewhat general expectation, will continue opera tions without any close down, employing whatever help may be obtained. How much aIleviation in the furnishing of sup plies to the public this course may afford is a matter of wide variation of opinion The packers declare that hundreds or men who could not be provided with
 
 Started in Killing Department
 The walk out here was started by the employees of the killing departments as fast as the current work left py tne slauehterers could be closed up. Thus as the workers in eacn department dis posed of their part of the work thy threw off their aprons and departed This consideration was shown the packers 'no labor officials announced, because it was not the desire to cause the employers any financial loss as a result Of nsgecuns meat that was on hand to De dressed Watched by cordons of police the strikers filed briskly out of the packing house, carrying overalls, rubber boots ana knives, cleavers and steels. The strlKers were greeted by crowds of women sno children, many of whom joined hsii1S with the workmen on the outward i7orcii. Whatever the future may have in store Tn the way of riots, there was today aoso- lutely no sign of disorder.
 A picturesque scene was presented when the sausage factories and canreries were left by their forces. There are loOp gus employed in these two departments or meat industry. Clad in the Varlgateo earb of factory girls, this army or teni- nine strikers tripped blithely along the insr thoroughfare of the stock yards and were roundly cheered as they emerg- cd through the gates and distributed Themselves in the crowd of men wao tad awaited their coming,
 Talked Over the Situation.
 .were with you to the last" the girls exc,aimed. smiling prettily as they stood oround and talked over the situation Wltn their male companions in the movement
 ..How long do you think it will last in- ouired one of them of her companlon.
 "Don't know" he replied, except tnat
 and to hold out fifteen months in Bunalo ana l guess we can do as much.
 Michael Donnelly of the Meat cutters and Butchers Workmen or North Aneriea' the leader of the strikers, said In con, yersation this afternoon that ne peileVeu the strikers would have little diiticulty III withstanding a siege of more than a year. as the strike funds of the unions IS large.
 In Chicago there are thirty-nVe locat unions involved in tho strike.
 President Donnelly and the presidents or the various locals assembled at head- quarters this morning thinking they might receive notice of surrender from the hackers But no word came. The packers took the position that they had replied de- cisivey to the workers demand and had nothing more to say than except to emphasize refusal to pay the wage scale asked.
 Statement of Packers.
 Arthur Meeker of Armour & Co. said tonight:
 we consider the demand of the union for an advance in wages of unskilled la bor entirely unwarranted by industrial conditions. We could not concede it, and proposed to submit the question to ar bitration, which the union declined to do, and called strike today at all our plants. Every department is kept running how ever. We have had applications from hundreds of unemployed men for posi- tions at less wages than we have been having and every day expect to increase our output We regret extremely the hardships and suffering that will be im- posed on the thousands of men who are thrown out of employment, directly and indirectly through the strike. and the temporary inconvenience caused the pub lie at large, but we consider the results entirely with the union who not only asked what they were not entitled to, but decline to submit the question to im- partial arbitration"
 DonneIIy Gives Strikers Side.
 President Donnelly. the strike leader, said:
 .I wish to make 1t clear that we are fighting not for an increase of wagers, but against a decrease.
 Our original demand was for mini mum of 20 cents an hour for laborers. This demand was amended after aur sec ond conference with the packers in June. we agreed to scale of 1872 cents an hour except in Omaha and Sioux City, where the scale is 10 cents. The packers. on the other hand refused to pay more than 17Ix cents an hour, and declined to sign any agreements at all except with a small proporition of the workmen.
 '.The question of wages to skilled men was not discussed"
 I-nnr before the claims of either side of