Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-30
IN LABOR CIRCLES

LISc<0t4k ft<t856+<it HIRE dShetf Lie kE<ACfAt
authoritses in Porto Rico for q report in
detail OF the labor troubles in those islands.
and particularly as to the alleged maitreat-
ment OF striking workfngmen there by the
police and others in authority. This mat
ter was brought to the attention OF the
President by Mr.. Frank Morrison, secre-
tary OF the American Federation OF Labor,
who called at the White House in person
last Monday. He handed the President the
following cablegrams and correspondence
from representatives of the A f. L.:
"(Cable Message
"MAYAGUEZ. p. r., May %
"Gompers, Washington-Arecibo police
beating, imprisoning strikers. Protest.
.iPENA.,
SAN JUAN. P. r.. May IS.
"Gompers. Washington-Situatio serious.
Police killing strikers; women, children as
"IGLESIAS.''
''ARECIBO. P. R., May %, 1906.
''Mr. Samuel Gompers. president Ameri-
can Federation OF Labor, Washington,
d. c.:
Your favor of May 10 and check for
s72S to pay for the second week strike bene
fits to the agricultural unions was duly re-
ceived and contents noted.
Since my last report of the strike the
situation has changed for the worse. Not
withstanding the fact that not single col
l1sion OF even hand-to- hand fight has
taken place during the four weeks, which
on strike, and not single meeting has
been recorded for the last ten days, / fear,
owing to tactics of the honorable governor
of Porto Rico. and especially of his police
force. we may not be able to do what could
be expected Of such well-disciplined and
orderly body of men as are those In strike.
So peaceful and alw abiding has been the
strike, that 1t looks as though there is none
at all. The city of Arecibo and other towns
IN the district affected by the strike are as
quiet that no sign of 1t is noticed there.
however. Notwithstanding the commend
able conduct of each and every one of our
men. the police that unfortunate body Of
police that you know of. is waging cam
paign of intimidation. terror, outrages
against our laborers only comparable to the
work of the Cossacks in the domain Of the
car. Over sixty men have been arrested
and are now In jail, charged with melting
the strlke or preventing other men to
work IL you were here you would believe
Dy the number of men who are daily ar
rested, and mind you, sir, on the streets,
markets, roads. at our halls and even at
nome, which are broken into that the cane
helds and buildings were in flames We
nave been forced to stop our meetings as
there is not guarantee here for us whatso-
ever. Organizer Esteban Padilla was taken
down by the police at a meeting in Bace-
sloneta ana arrested. So was our delegate
francisco Rojas from Vaga Baja. Brother
antonio Cfntren was arrested In the same
town OF Vega Baja, and another one at
Camuy, which are towns not affected at
all by the strike.
The poor country people are dragged out
OF their homes. escorted by the police to the
sugar fields and forced to work Any
striker who comes near the police is arrest
ed Immediately and false charges preferred
against him. The families women and chill
dren. of the strikers are threatened with
being thrown out of their homes and chased
out OF the district If they do not go 10
work This campaign is personally direct
ed by Chief Hamii of the insuIar police
In person, as Captain Guerrero, who was
In command of the force In this district, is
being prosecuted because he neglected his
duties in that he did not break up our dem
onstrations and meetings and land every
speaker and laborer in jail. 1t is probable
thai the captain may be removed from the
force.
IF you add to all this action of the police
who. armed to the teeth with rifle and guns
go about the country with the overseers of
the plantations recruiting strike breakers
you Will agree with me in condemning such
conduct. The police have succeeded in re-
cruitng, so far, about 800 strike breakers
who. as / have said before, have been in
Inundated and escorted to the field to work
However, the strikers maintain themselves
firm in their stand, and the plantations
unable to resume grinding owing to the
lack of good and sufficient men to do the
work. l fear that If the police continue in
their wantan conduct against men
may have to suffer a serious break of the
strike, losing 1t in part. / say in part be-
cause the planters are paying the strike
breakers 10 per cent more than men
used to get This will undoubtedly con-
vince the laborers of the value of organ
izaton.
over forty sworn complaints have been
forwarded to the governor denouncing the
outrages committed by the police against
the strikers. l was served yesterday with
an injunction against the Federation Libre.
Santiago Iglesias Estaban Padilla and
others The Injunction was temporarily
granted in behalf of the Central Los
Canos' I have been summoned for two
others which are now pending.
"Of course, l will not consider the strike
lost until I see that the plantations and
centrals resume work with TIE strike
breakers imported from other districts. In
such case 1 shall notify you by cable.
1.-THE administration and the planters are
making a stubborn fight and do not wish to
agree to the slight increase of wages de-
ma rded by our men, because of the reasons
given you by Mr.. Willoughby, the treasurer
of Porto Rico, on the occasion of the inter-
view held at Washington; that is to say,
our men would take such action an act
of weakness They do not even wish to
make any kind of compromise, as their OBJ
iect is to maintain the wages at the pres
ent standards cents for twelve hours
work
"A committee of the federation called on
the governor a few days ago and expressed
to him their grievances against the police
force and their many outrages committed
against the strikers. They request guar
antee from the administration. but IT IS use
less to say that the administration IS on the
side of the planters, that the police are ON
the side of the planters. and that so far
nothing has been done to stop such disgrace
full scenes as are taking place in this district
every day. 1t is indeed disgraceful that
under the stars and stripes men who are
at the head of the administration SHAH have
a deaf ear to all our just complaints and
shall encourage things as are peing done
in this district.
"Our men have their eyes fixed on you
and your organization, hoping that some
thing may be done to redress the wrongs
~ ol, baD hae inflicted against the WORK
ing people OF this community.
Fraternally yours, I?
SANTIAGO IGLESIAS.
"oreanizer. American Federation of Labor.
"Fraternaliy yours.
The efforts of Columbia Typographical
Union to establish the eight-hour day in
Washington has been given a forward i'm
nef,,s by the action of that body last Sun
day In voting for 10 per cent strike as
sessment Chairman It. c. Parsons of the
eight committee, who is also presi-
dent-elect of Columbia Union, says the ac-