The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-05-09
Resembles His Prototype, the
Mercenary Of Old
THE HESSIAN OF INDUSTRY
This New Element in the Labor World
Ks Composed Largely Of Shiftless
Mechanics ard the Criminal
Glasses.

Strike breaking IS new netu OF la-
Dor brought about by the banding to-
gether Of large employers Of labor
throughout the country to fight to the
death striking union employees Ia all
capacities. and the expense Of 50 doing
IS borne BY this association through
means Of an assessment on oil fits mem
bers, so it virtually IS q. uaion Of en-
ployers to wipe out the Unions Of en-
ployees. OF course some firms wage
war on their striking employees indi.
gidually, and naturally bear al the ex-s
pense Of SO doing, but the great ma
jority belong to the association, as the
fight can be made less expcnsively and
more effectually under Its influences.
The strike breaker is q composite
study in human nature. he may be an
ex.unlon man Or he may be a book
keeper, clerk or salesman down on bis
luck. but in 30 per cent Of the cases b
I'd 4 shiftless mechanic whose only care
is for the present. The character Of the
WORK fasclhates him both ais 60 its ex-
element and its profit. Every year
sees new recruits 60 the ranks Of the
strike breakers. as once u man has O
taste OF tile work he ii untitled to hold
down a steady job at ordinary business
wages, and he enters the field Of strike
breaking with it's checkered living for
the newcomer. as the agencies keep
only their most experienced workers
employed steadily, and the newcomer
has to accept pot luck, which means
generally that he is flush one month
and broke the next
The employing Of strike breakers Is
generally done through detective agen-
clcs, which find this work immensely
profitable. several Of them combining
their business to this clnss Of work
exclusively, says professional strike
breaker in the Chicago Tribune. The
writer knows or one agency in Chica-
go which cleared $4,000 on the team
sters' strike two years ago, and also
know OF workers who made as high as
$l 900 during this strike working for
the express companies. Part of this
latter amount, however. was made In
rewards for arrestIng stone throwers,
the strike breakers having this power
Of arrest by being sworn In as depu-
ties.
The agencies IN extra hazardous
strikes generally receive Si0 per day
for each man placed, one-haif OF which
they pay TO the man hired as wages.
inclusive OF board, transportation. etc.
As n general rule, however. the agency
receives So per day for each man
placed, SO OF which he receives as pay.
leaving clear profit ef 50 per day per
man for each man placed. The en-
ploying firm pays al expenses OF trans
portatlon, board. etc. A large strike
Job is a veritable bonanza for a de-
tective agency, The heads Of which
take absolutely no risk OF injury phys
ically or loss financially and YET take
out profit unheard OF in the business
world.
AS a rule, employers are not oyerpar-
tlcular as TO a strike breakers skill in
his line CT business. IL he merely
has n knowledge Of the work or even
adaptabiIlty. 50 as to help keep tho
works going as a bluff. he viii OIL the
Bill. for, after all, II merely is game
Of freeze out the employer winning be-
Gauss he can hold out the longer. He
figures on a large dead loss through
the strike period, but considers it a
splendid Investment If he breaks the
union. and he is only too glad 10 hire
the old men back Is individuals. know
ing that the strike breakers will hike
out FOR other fields nfter the strike IS
/ settled and the usual wage rate re-
! stored
Consequently the professional strike
breaker through bis varied expert
ences, is a Jack OF ali trades and mas
ter Of none. met one who had a fair
working knowledge Of eight trades,
though really competent only as a ma
| chinist, his regular trade. also have
seen bunch OF 200 men hire out fl
Chicago as experienced motorInen to
take the places Of motormen in Oak
land. Cal, contemplating striking,
When qulzzed OUT there by the com
4 pany's superintendent as to their
\ knowledge Of the mir brnbe. not more
than one-hfth proved at oil competent
/ to operate one. and several confided to