The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-07-21
Fifty thousand People Walk Away
From Their Situations
FOOD SUPPLY MAY Be AFFECTED
Employees Numbering $4,000 Quit
Work at Chicago, Kansas City,
Omaha, ST. Joseph and Other Cities
as the Result Of Stubbon Dis
agreement, Chiefly Over the Wages
for UnskiIIed Labor.

STUBBORN disagreement, cnleHy o'er'
wages for unskilled labor, one Of the
most extensive strikes in the history
Of the meat packing industry began
Tuesday morning in Chicago, Kansas
City, Omaha, st. Joseph, Mo-, and
other cities where large packing
plants are located. If prolonged the
strike is expected to cause wide-
spread inconvenience, possibly equal
ing the anthracite coal famine Of two
years ago. The unanimity Of the
strike was complete. More than 45,-
600 employees are directly involved.
In Chicago alone $4,000 men are on
strike.
The effect of the strike upon the
food supply Of the country and the
prices Of meats is being earnestly dis.
cussed, Notwithstanding the announce
ment that the packing houses, con.
trary to the somewhat general expec
,,tation, will continue operations with
cut any closed door, employing what
ever help may be obtained. How
much alienation in the furnishing OF
supplies to the public this couSse
may afford Is a matter Of wide Tari-
alton. The packers declare that hum
dreds of men who could not be provid-
ed with places have been applying
daily for work.
The walk-out here was started b7
the employees Of the killing depart
ments at various packing houses
The killers were followed by the
workers in other departments as fast
as current work left by the slaughter.
ers could be cleaned up. Thus as
the workers in each department dis
posed Of the their part Of the work
they threw off their aprons and de-
parted. This consideration was shown
the packers, the labor officials an.
nounced, because it was not the de-
sire Of the men to cause the employ
ers any financial loss as result OF
neglecting meat that was on hand to
be dressed.
Watched by cordons Of police, the
strikers filed briskly out Of the pack
ing houses, carrying overalls, rubber
boots and knives, cleavers and steels.
The strikers were greeted by crowds
of women and children, many OF
whom joined hands with the work.
men on the outward march. What
ever the future may have in store IN
the way of riots, there was absolutely
no sign Of disorder
A picturesque y0ene was presented
when the sausage factories and can
neries were left by their forces.
There are 1000 girls employed in
these two departments Of the meat
industry. Clad in the variegated garb
of factory girls, this army OF feminine
strikers tripping along the thorough
fare Of the stockyards, were roundly
cheered as they emerged through the
gates and distributed themselves in
the crowd Of men who had awaited
their coming. Were with you to
the last" the girls exclaimed, smiling
as they stood around and talked over
the situation with their male COM
panions in the movement.
Arthur Meeker, of Armour & Com.
pany, said: I'VE consider the demand
of the union for an advance in wages
of unskilled labor entirely unwarrant-
ed by industrial conditions. We could
not concede it and proposed to submit
the question to arbitration. which the
union declined to do and called
| strike today at all our plants. Every
department is kept running, however.
Wo have had applications from hun
dreds Of unemployed men for posi-
tions at less wages than we have
beer paying and every day expect to
| increase our output"
President Donnelly, the strike lead
er. said: 81 wish to make 1t clear
that we are not fighting for an In
crease of wages, but against de-
crease, Our original demand was for
minimum of 20 cents an hour for
laborers. This demand was amended
after our second conference with the
] packers in June. We then agreed to
a scale of 1s1k 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 171h cents an hour and declined
to sign any agreements at all except
with a small proportion Of the work
men. The question Of wages to
skilled men was not discussed. TO
unskilled workmen the average wage
was 1Sh, but when we asked tkat this
be made the minimum wage they cut
it to 171s and Is cents. A man could
live on Is cents II he could get steady
work, but at some plants the men
have been able to make just IL hours
week at this wage scale. They
could not live on it. No one could.