Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-07-25
Efforts for Peace in the
Chicago Strike.
Sympathetic Strike Throughout
Country Will Be Declared.
Al Connected With Packing Industry
Will Quit, Today-Apparently No
Hope Of Avertins Great Labor Con-
11iet.


fight to finish to enforce the demands
Of the striking butchers, a sympathetic
strike of all the union workmen en-
ploycd in the meat packing industry
throughout the country, with the ex-
ception Of the teamsters, will be de-
clared, tomorrow morning, at o'clock.
Tonight, the indications are that the
teamsters will join the other unions,
Tuesday, in order to bring the packers
to terms. The teamsters employed in
the Chicago plants at a meeting. today,
declared in favor OF the sympathetic
strike but their decision has not been
ratified as yet by the joint council OF
the Teamsters' Union.
The Joint council will meet late, to-
night, for the purpose Of considering
the proposition. The general belief is
that the decision Of the teamsters to
join In the strike will be Endorsed by
the council. This Endorsement Of the
joint council is not final. however. as
the international officers Of the team
sters' union have to sanction the pro-
posed strike before the men can leave
their work. Under these circumstances
1t is not likely the teamsters will be
officially called out before Tuesday. No
conferences were held, today. either
by the packers or the labor leaders.
Whether or not the packers would
make any concessions to the demands
of the labor leaders in order to pre-
vent a general walk-out Of the trades
at the stock yards, would not be dis
cussed by any Of the packing house
representatives, today, but from the
preparations going on at the different
plants during the day 1t was plainly
evident that the packers intended to
fight for their independence. All the
labor leaders declared that they would
await, tomorrow's developments and
that the packers would have to make
the request for n resumption OF peace
negotiations. as the unions had no in
tention at the present time OF doing
So
Preparations for the struggle which
n expected to reach a climax. tomor-
row morning. were being made at the
different packing plants all during the
day and far into the night. Dozens OF
representatives of the packing houses
were scattered all over the country. to-
day, in search of men to fill the places
of the strikers.
Four train loads Of new employees
were taken to the yards before dark
ness set in. to join the non-union men
already established inside the plants.
Clerks were being initiated into new
duties and employees who had been pro-
NOTED from trades were returned to
their former work to take the places OF
the regular workers, who are expect-
ed to quit work. tomorrow. Stockades
have been erected at all the different
plants to protect men whose work ex-
poses them to danger from mob vio-
lence. All through the stock yards
there were not only evidences of pre-
paration for a long and bitter struggle,
but superintendent of the packing es-
Establishments. police officers and union
leaders gave expression to anticipation
OF trOublous times to come. Chief Of
Police O'Neil, who spent the day max
ing plans for tomorrow. said:
mo one knows what will happen.
The opportunity is here for one of the
greatest labor contests In the country
and apparently there is no hope for
averting 1t. The police will be able to
handle the situation. however. with
out outside assistance. no matter what
happens
In addition to the four trains filled
with non-union men brought into the
yards. today. under police protection.
many other trains loaded with men who
had been secured during the past "a
hours were scheduled to arrive before
daylight. With the number Of men al
ready installed within the stock yards
and the addition of clerks and officers
men to the killing rooms. work will be
resumed In all the plants. tomorrow
morning, on as extended scale as pos
sible. These men will all work under
police protection and 1t is not believed
any trouble will be experienced until
the several firms begin distributing
meats to the local trade with non-union
drivers.
The situation makes the teamsters
ten most important body Of men in the
whole controversy. With these men on
strike the union forces expect to pre-
vent any non-union men who take their
places from leaving the yards and
scenes similar to these during the car
avian" day Of the 1902 strike will un-
doubleday be the result II the strike is
prolonged. Transfers outside the
yards are to be asked to refuse t
handle meat from any Of the branch
houses and II non-union men are en-
gagged to perform this work riots are
bound to be the result as these branche:
are scattered all over the city In orde1
TO make 1t more convenient to suppl!
the down town trade.
Temporarily the packers will attemp
only to handle dressed beef. pork ant
mutton. allowing the bi-products to e
to waste. They say, however, that a!
fast as the necessary wOrkmen can d.
obtained those departments where the pl
products are taken care of will be opened
IN for business.
Another handicap the packers will NEE
with in the morning is a scarcity OF liv'
stock. Commission men for the pas
week have flooded the country with mes
sares advising shippers not to send an!
afS,ck to market. 1t also developed 10
6ev that commission men during tn
week bought all the live stock they coul,
and shipped 1t into the country in thu
vicinity OF Chicago to be fed until afte
the strike is settled. As soon as th'
strike is settled the intention Is to rusi
This stock back to Chicago when 1t Ii
SS.1so,,oS ovorhifanf priceS can be obtain