The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1904-07-30
THE TRUCE WAS
OF SHORT LIFE
The Packing House Employees Are
All Ordered Out Again.
BREACH OF FAITH is CHARGED
: The summary Action of the strike
Leaders Followed by Equally
Vigorous Efforts For Res
tOratIOn of Peace.

Chicago, July 23.-The packing
house strike was to-day ordered re-
newed in Chicago and all other cities
Violation of agreement by the packing
house proprietors is assigned as tne
reason.
The following telegram was sent by
President Donnelly TO all the en-
ployes of various packing houses In
the different cities affected by the
previous strike.
"Order out all the departments
again. Companies violated agreement
(Signed) 'MICHAEL DONNELLY,
President International Meat Cutters
and Butcher Workmen."
Three Thousand cattle butchers re-
ported at the stock yards here Tor
work. Only half of hem were given
places. Thereupon, all refused to
work. They reported in body al
their union headquarters. The general
order for a renewal of the strike was
soon forthcoming,
While the immediate provocat1on for
the renewal of the strike was appar-
emily the failure of the packers tc
take back larger proportion OF the
strikers who reported for work, the
real cause of the rupture was IN
ferred to be circular, issued Thurs
day by the packers. The circular pur-
ported to explain 10 the public the
agreement entereded into with the Ia
Dor leaders. Seemingly, the circular
could be taken as implying that the
agreement did not bind the packers &c
re-employ all OF the men who walked
out The construction the labor lead
ers had placed upon the agreement
was that all should be re-employed
within 45 days.
When the 5000 butchers and their
helpers went into the yards here IL
take their old places the general greet
ing was: I'VE can not take back more
than half the regular force" lmne-
diately there was woeful display or
chagrin and disappointment. The men
held conference of an impromptu ma
ture and reached an agreement to act
as a unit or not at all.
"You must take us all back or
none" came the reply Of the union
men, who saw performing the tasks
they had done before numbers Of non
union ,workmen. The packers refused
to accede to this and committee was
sent to see President Donnelly. The
latter was quickly in communication
with his advisers. Within an hour and
q half the decision was reached to res
open the strike. President Donnelly's
telegram was accordingly sent to all
unions.
The breaking of the agreement, as
alleged by President Donnelly, on the
part of the packers and the ending Of
all peace plans on the part of the
unions came as violent surprise to
the public, despite the widespread
knowledge that the men were far from
satisfied with conditions consequent
upon the signing of the terms Of
peace.
The summary action of the strike
leaders in ordering renewal of hos
tilities was followed by equally Wig
orous efforts at restoration of the
peace. AS result, the news of the
strike order was followed within an
hour by an announcement that
joint conference at the offices of Ar
mour C Co. had been arranged to
take place Friday afternoon between
the packing house projectors and the
labor leaders. The purpose of the
joint conference was stated to be to
discuss the alleged unjust discrimina-
ton on the part of the packers.
The portion of the packers curcu-
lar Objectionable to the unionists fol
lows:
I'm the agreement reached the pack
ers reserve the privilege of retaining
in their employ all employees that have
been hired while the strike has lasted,
thus guaranteeing to these men. the
fair treatment they deserve and gain
ing for the packers one of the most
important points for which they con-
tended and for which they stood out
so long. The privilege of arbitration
within the time limit of As days Gov
ers the question Of discrimination
only, and is in no way intended TO
guarantee to the striking employees
that they will be taken back and
given the places now filled by non
union help"
The new strike apparently places
the strikers in worse plight than be-
fore, for great number of the non
union men have quit. Many of these
non-union workers left, fearing to re-
main and face the returned strikers.
Those who did come back received
quiet warnings that there would be
trouble