Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-07-25
BIG INDUSTRIAL WAR.
All Efforts for Peace at Chicago Are
Futile.

declared off, Saturday afternoon, and
Chicago is preparing for vast indus
trial war.
Choosing the opportunity afforded by
alleged determinations in accomplishing
the strikers, the uni,n 'e:t'iers made
fresh demands as tt ..i,,- of peace
In the original peac c"Htract all the
strikers were to be /, E"i lack within
As days. Because some of them were
turned away the first day after peace
had been declared, a second strike was
called.
Saturday the strike leaders demanded
that all strikers be taken back within
10 days, and that all killing, casing and
cutting department men be taken back
within 4S hours. The packers refused
to accede to these new demands, eX-
planning that their plants had been de-
moralized by the strike and that they
could not find places for all the men.
Thereupon the allied trades announced
that they would join the strike, Mon
day.
For their side of the controversy, the
packers admit that there may nave
been some grounds for discrimination
in reinstating the men, but said they
stood ready to make amends and see
that it did not occur again. This was
not satisfactory to the strike leaders,
who insisted upon their latest demands.
There is one ray of light in the sltua-
ton. The strikers have given the pack
ers until Monday to meet their ultima
tum, but it is not likely this will be
done. Both sides feel that the battle
must be fought out now, without fur
Their ;nakeshift attempts at peace.
Immediately following the announce
ment that negotiations were at an end.
the police authorities hurried many
additional officers to the stock yards.
Threats have been made to burn the
yards.
An evidence of the temper of the
strikers was manifested, Saturday,
when there were many cases of shame
full assaults upon young girls employed
in the yards. Drunken mobs surround
ed these children, tore off their clothing,
subjected them to brutal insults and
indignities. Several girls We're bruised
and cut by stones and other missiles.
None Of the strikers had manhood
enough to defend the helpless children.
Many of the girls of poor parentage are
compelled to work, notwithstanding a
strike has been ordered.
Josephine Rominsky, aged 16, is a
sample Of these victims. My parents
are dead and l must work or starve,"
she moaned as she nursed her bleeding
and bruised body and wiped away the
slime thrown upon her face and breast
by the strikers. She had been flouted,
her clothing torn off and pursued to her
doorstep. where she fell fainting. But
for the heroism of a neighbor woman
the mob would probably have trampled
her into the pavement.
Annie Schmack, Georgia Doestal and
other girls. none over 16 years of age,
received similar treatment. An I'M
known girl about 16 who tried to enter
the yards, today, was seized by two
ruffians and passed back into the
drunken mob for treatment" She was
finally rescued by the police after her
clothing had been torn off and she had
been beaten and otherwise abused.
There were many cases today of nom
union men being captured and beaten,
but the city is outraged by the attacks
upon young girls. Heretofore in Chica-
go labor troubles women and girls We're
supposed to have the rights of nom
combatants. But the present strikers
are a motley crew, 80 per cent. for
eigners who can neither speak nor un-
derstand the English language. 1t is
this element with which the city and
the police now have to cope.
Public sentiment is +, fth the packers.
a. t. ,.,f org chose
the limsiest sort of . AZ sse to break
their own agreement ANA make fresh
demands Whatever sympathy the pub
lie may have had with the strikers has
been lost through the assaults upon
the young girls today.
AS soon as the meeting with the pack
ers had ended Pres. Donnelly sent tele-
grams to officials of the Butcher Work
mems Union in all cities where a strike
had been called. telling them of the re-
suit and directing them to continue the
strike. Later he informed them or the
ultimatum that had been delivered Dy
committee from the allied trades:
1t was announced. Saturday afternoon,
that the flremen at the yards Will not
walk out unless they receive an assur-
ance from the butcher worknen that the
firemen have secured an agreement for
an S-hour day from the packers. Inc
firemen for some time have been endeav-
Oring to secure better wages and working
conditions from the packers
One of the packers at the conference
declared that the cattle butchers were
responsible in a great measure Tor the
renewal of the strike. These men dld
not seem to know the meaning OF the
| " ord discrimination he said. when
| they returned to work they were told
| that only a part of them could be re-em-
ployed at once. and they refused to go
back They insisted that the agreement
provided that all men should De taken
lack at once.
| I'VE discussed thoroughly all of the evil
denca pertaining to discrimination and In
no case was such action proven: When
we signed the peace agreement, last FRI
| day. all of the packers agreed that the
men should be treated fairly when they
| returned to work and 1t was our inten-
ton to do so.
I'VE did not have an opportunity to
show our good faith as the strike was
| renewed in Is minutes after the men re-
turned to work. The only way we had
| of getting the number of employees we
| wanted was to choose a certain number
from the crowd of applicants and tell
them to report for duty. You should not
expect us TO ask the men to try some
game of chance in order to determine
who should go back.
| I'VE made fair trade and have kept
our promises. l don't say that We Will