The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-03
Strikers at San Bernardino Give
Out a Statement.
FELL Their Side of the Present
Difficulty.
IMPORTING GERMANS.
Baldwin Locomotive Works Said
TO Be Helping Santa Fe.
Many Strike Breakers Are I'm
loaded in the West.

The strikers at San Bernardino have
given out the following statement:
We. the press committee of the 10
cal machinists' organization. believe
that the public is entitled to a state
ment from US in regard to the true sit
uation of affairs concerning this STRIKE
and the cause of the same.
We have been pressed for inforrna-
ton along this line by the newspap ers
but until now we have refused to be
interviewed or talk on the subject. but
informed them that when it became
necessary we would make a statement
for the public based on facts, and now
We VIII do as we agreed and make this
statement
Last January the various points or;
the Santa F'e system elected and SER
a delegate to Topeka latter being Civ
en- permission by their local master
mechanic) for the purpose of organic
ing system lodge; at that time the
same was organized and is known as
district lodge No. IL
There has been an appointment made
10 meet the officials at this time but
before our delegate left this point he
was notified that the company could
not meet US until about February .
and would furnish sportatfon for
January %. but as it was necessary to
be there at least ten days before We
met the officials we sent our deIeRgre
on or about January Is and he paid
his fare, but had Sarnission from
the master mechanic to go; and all
other points did likewise.
After the district was formed We no
titled the company we were ready to
meet them and they said they could not
meet US at that time and said they
would fix date some time about
March l, which was accepted by the
al IS
wishes, but was accepted in order to
prevent any trouble or friction at this
time.
The committee. II in number. was
then given transportation and return
ed home to await the convenience of
the company to arrange for the March
conference, which was finally set for
March %, in Chicago, this being final
ly arranged for after our grand lodge
officers had taken it up for the third
time At this conference Mr. Ken
driclx. third vice president, received
this committee. This is the same COM
mittee which he refers to in his
pamphlet which he sent out broadcast
as the i'll advised committee" which
went to Topeka in January.
At this conference the machinists
received a fiat turn down and since
then the company has been sending
out infOrmat ton m pamphlet form
severely criticising QUE grand lodge
officers and doing many other things
to antagonize the machinistss but the
machinists realize that a cool head in
the time of storm will bring the ship
safe to port Knowing this. we have
tried to conduct ourselves accordingly
and intend to do so even to the end OF
this trouble. And we wish to have all
of our business done in a businesslike
method and will not give out tnforma-
ton to the public which is not strictly
We make the above statement be
cause we feel and believe that we
have the public sentiment, and If We
have not we believe 1t is because they
do not understand the situation thor
oughly; our organization has gone TO
the very limit to prevent this strike
and has suffered humiliations and
criticisms offered by the company's
officials to no end
on the morning of April % the
company marched in 81 new men in
grand march form, led by our master
mechanic and a deputy sheriff, guard
ed by a squad of deputies These men
We're marched to the center of the
shop and halted. and then were intro
duced to the various gang 1orernen
and were put to work alongside of our
men and when we began to inquire OF
tn EN- where they came from. VINO
they were, etc, in order that We
might know who we were working
with and to further know how much
trust we could put in them (for no
man wishes to place his life and prop
erty in jeopardy, as one is very liable
J.
company objected to and informed
several of our men If they were
caught doing this they would be i'm
medal ely discharged
The new men did not hesitate to
tell Us and in fact they came to US
and told us how they came to be here
and were very bitter in their remarks
a about the way the company deceived
them by telling them they were to
come here to work in a new plant
Just finished by the Baldwin Iocomo-
tive works Others informed us that
the company told them in PhfladeI-
phia that there was a scarcity of me-
chanics out here
Right here we wish to call the at
tentfon of the public to the fact that
chinists and good citizens only last
month. about the same time they
were hiring these men in PhiladeI-
phia, and this alone ought to prove
to the public that the officials are mis-
representing the true situation of
affairs. We do not believe that the
people of this community can be
hoodwinked in any such manner The
truth of our statement is demon
strated by the fact that over twenty
of these new men came out when we
did and many more have left since
that time
We feel as though we have done all
in our power to avert this strike, but
since the company has forced it upon
US we will say that we viii fight it to
the end. using all the legal and lawful
methods TO do So
We do not intend to iniure or dam
age the cOmpany's property in any way
and We expect to stay away from the
shops and keep off the property of the
company as much as possible
We hope that should there be com
plfcations of any kind arise from time
to time that the public viii not form