The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1909-12-17


their jobs at regular employment or
get a leave of absence for thirty or
| sixty days to work as strike breakers
when the occasion demands There
are many who prefer this kind of work
because of the love Of adventure, the
opportunity it affords to travel over
the country and the high pay. 1t pays
well to the individual and also as
business
Jim Farley retired from the strike
breaking business multimillionaire.
The companies are organized some
what on the lines of a circus. They
come in night, all ready for business,
on very short notice. They carry
complete commissary equipment lex
cept when it is not necessary in a
large town.. hospital, dormitory equip
ment and everything that can be pos
sibly required. Special trains are char
| tered for jobs of any size,
When a strike is called the official of
the strike breaking corporation at the
| head of that department uses the tele-
graph to get the men together, and
within twenty hours they are on their
way to point of mobilization
The business is organized in three
main departments-labor commlssary
and protection. The company In charge
of the Omaha strike breakers says
that of it's 700 men in the protection
department so per cent are former
New York police officers drawing a
pension from that city and being from
fifty to sixty years old. Where their
work is required they are sworn In as
special police The company has 1000
rifles and 1000 side arms for this de-
partment, but the strike breakers are
forbidden to carry arms unless sworn
In as special officers.
The company was ready to run 5000
men into Chicago ten days ago for the
street cars there but the strike was
settled.
The average strike calls for about
500 men and costs the company about
$4,000 a day, including loss of reve-
nues. The transportation bill to Omaha
alone was $4,000.
OF the men brought to Omaha 161
are from Chicago, and the rest OF the
5O7 came from New York. Practically
all have had experience there before.
! All men taken by the companies on a
strike are said to have to undergo an
examination in their line to show that
they are skilled laborers.
The strike at San Francisco lasted
| five months and cost the company
about S1.5OO,OOO. The worst strike
ever experienced by the company now
in Omaha was at Yonkers, n. Y, and
lasted five days. When a strike Is
settled the men hurry out Immediate
" the next morning there being not
sign of men or equipment in the barns
which they had occupied.
In times of peace the company ofteh
furnishes nonunion labor.
The camps during strikes are made
in factories, manufacturing plants or
car barns. Cooks, BARRIERS and laun-
dry equipment are carried. The men
are kept in under strict discipline. II
they were allowed to go out In body
trouble would be sure to start, ana
the company seeks to avoid this.
Entertainment is provided the men
In a street railway strike they are out
ON the line, but when they are cooped
ND in a factory music of some kind
musicians or monographs sup
piled to help entertain, and there are
always some good entertainers IN q
crowd of men. They also are supplied
with card tables, newspapers and mag
azines.
thrifty man can be away for
month or two and not spend cent
while drawing a good wage and pocket
ing perquisites. Board, transportation
laundry, everything is furnished hin
free.
Often In car strikes in the east i
has been necessary to screen the cars
with heavy wire netting and carry
lot of armed guards. The men in thu
company here think that the people II
the west have a greater regard for tn
laws than those in the east.
The company which is operating herr
has three Jobs on hand now and hal
had thirteen at one time.