The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-11
The End Of the Beef Strike.

The End Of the Beef Strike.
In our news columns on Friday there
was printed Chicago despatch begin
ming as follows:
Failing 10 gain concessions from the meat
packers and believing that the life Of his organiza
ton at stake President MICHAEL DoNNEI.LI
of the Amalsameted Meat Cutters and Butcher
Workmen ofnclalry called the strike OF to night"
This recorded the utter failure Of a
strike which never should have been
begun which has involved $1,000 wage
earners throughout the United States,
and lis estimated as having cost the wage
earners of Chicago alone nearly $4,000
900. The direct and indirect cost to
labor elsewhere and to the general pub
lie it is impossible to compute, but it is
probable that the total would reach or
exceed another 100000. This is a
high price to pay for an inexcusable
bfunder.
We offer no defence for the wage rates
which prevail in Chicago packing houses.
Until the arrival of an industrial millen-
mum, when all who work will have every
thing they want, it is impossible to ig-
more the rule of supply and demand on
which the Chicago packers based their
payrolls. The skilled laborers in the
packing houses had no grievance and
made no complaint. Their strike, in
it's inception, was sympathetic with
the unskilled workers. Without the
support of those not directly affected
there probably would have been no
strike. Had only the unskilled laborers
gone out, the strike would not have
lasted three days.
The complete unionizing of the en-
'ployees of the packing houses Is an
affair Of the last two or three years.
May % Of this year saw the expiration
of agreements which had been made be-
tween some Of the older organizations
and their employers. Unionism then
attempted to dictate wage rates in all
departments. 1t does not appear that
the skilled workmen made any demands
on their own account. But the affiliated
orders of packing house employees,
known as the Butcher Workmens Union,
demanded for the unskilled workmen
a rate which the employers declined to
pay, chiefly on the ground that they
couldshire all the people they needed at
the wages offered. A series Of fruitless
conferences followed, and President
DoNNELLY threatened to order general
strike If his demands were not satisfied
before certain time.
The history Of the experience is too
long and too complicated for recital in
detail, but it indicates clearly that Mr..
DoNNELLY acted with lIotheaded
haste which was entirely needless. The
packers proposed arbitration. Ac-
oording to their statement, the pro-
posal was made before the strike was
ordered; according to Mr.. DoNNELLY,
the proposal followed the strike order.
But the strike was ordered, and the
order included Chicago, Kansas City,
Omaha, st. Joseph and other large CEN
tres of the packing industry. II threat
ened 10 become national. and a general
beef famine seemed inevitable.
Within few days the leaders of the
EITlk6 SdW tHO iopCiCoo WCdhlttoS VI
their position on the wage question,
and modified their dictatorial attitude.
Other interests were being affected and
public sentiment did not rally to the sup
port of the strikers. They decided to
accept the arbitration proposal and to
90 to work again pending the decision.
This decision resulted in changing the
entire course of events by the intro
duction of another distinct ISSUE that of
the open shop. The strikers wanted to
return in body to their former jobs.
MIR. DoNNELLY claims that by agree
ment with the packers the men were to
return without discrimination. and
asserts that very active and searching
discrimination was exercised by fore
men and superintendent. The pack
ers meet this with a general denial. To
careful observers OF the. situation it 4
seems that any instances Of this nature
which may have occurred could have
been adjusted by little time and pa
thence. That did not suit Mr.. MICHAEL
DoNNELLY. Again the men were ordered
out. Sympathetic strikes were ordered
by allied trades more or less directly
connected with the packing industry,
and the baneful influences OF this
hasty and misguided enterprise were
extended over a wide range Of territory
New York was. only less seriously
affected than Chicago.
For eight weeks the strike has run it's
course. Rioting, murder and blood
shed have attended its progress. The
slaughterhouses have been guarded
by large bodies Of police, and deliveries
Of meat have been made under police
escort. Thousands of householders
have been put to serious inconvenience
and subjected to financial expense.
Merchants have suffered the loss Of trade
entailed by the cessation Of wage pay
ments. In many and various ways the