The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-06-07

VIVIAN AAAAsD
Special Corr sspomdence 60 The Press
DAYTON, O., June WHO is
John Kirby, the man who has just
been elected president of the Ma
tional Manufacturers association,
succeeding the militant James w.
Van Cleave. who tried to kill all
labor unions in America?
John Kirby is the general man.
ager of the Dayton Manufacturing
Co, which employees about 200 men
and boys, paid by the piece, in the
manufacture of car trimmings.
Kirby came to Dayton in 1883 from
Ludlow, KY, where he had been
superintendent of plant. He is
about 60 years old has neatly
curled gray mustache, heavy
shock of gray hair and square
jaw.
Kirby hates unionism as Van
Cleave did, and Dan Farrell, Day
ton labor leader, says that Van
Cleave and Kirby are like pair
of SKIES and that Kirby will make
fieroer war on unionism than Van
Cleave did.
Elias Breitenbaugh. another la
Dor leader. said: by electing Kir-
by t the presidency the national
association has committed itself to
industrial war. Kirby has all the
fire in him that Van Cleave has,
and a dangerous imagination in
addition. For that reason he is a
dangerous leader"
Kirby isn't talking now about
what he is going to do, but his
anti-labor record is at hand as in
dication of what may be expected
1t Is also to be remembered that
in his speech accepting the presi-
dency of the national association
Ire reaffirmed the declaration, of
war in stronger terms than any
ever used by Van Cleave.
81 consider Mr.. Kirby the strong
est man in Dayton says Rev. Nor
IT'S II. NHoOu, pdotoi VI shV VS.
byterian church. where Kirby wor-
ships, a minister who sympathizes
with the war on unionism and has
taken upon himself the task of de-
Tending his friend Kirby.
There are others in Dayton who
win also Bear testimony to Kirby's
strength" and these are men who
once struck and are now blacklist
ed, men who tried to run for Of
flee as representatives of the work
ers and were defeated through the
political influence of Kirby and his
associates, and members of unions
that once flourishes but are now
in dissolution because of success
sive defeats. Kirby was up to
such business as sending detec-
tive to join unions and bring back
to him information relating to
their transactions. 1t has been
through his efforts that unions has
suffered severely in this city
Kirbys attacks on labor unions
have been so fierce that the lead
ing Dayton paper has refused to
publsh them. A recent editorial
in that paper said:
"Kirby and Marshall secretary
of the employers association. are
pair of dsturbers, fomenting
strike, engendering discomfort, en-
couraging hate. Dayton does not
want reign of terror. and the
working men here are not the kind
to bring about reign of terror.
But there is limit to the endur-
ance of even working men, and
these violent outbursts of Kirby
and Marshall, unless checked
point to that end
In strike in 1900 and a notable
legal battle-that followed 1t Kirby
got an injunction perpetually re-
straining strikers. Sixteen men had
been discharged from his factory
Kirby claimed they were dismiss
ed because they were not doing
enough work. Organized labor
claimed their dismissal followed
the discovery that they had joined
the union. The men were locked
out.
Then violence began. Kirby
boarded strikebreakers in his fac
tory. They armed themselves but
Kirby, zealot that he is. chose to
go unarmed, Drawing dangers real
or imaginary. Every evening be-
fore the strike camp was establish
ed the men. led by Kirby driving in
n buggy. would sally forth from
the factory, Kirby would escort
them to their homes.
The war finally got into court
Through the injunction suit.
IL am against unions on general
principles" said Kirby on the wit
ness stannd at that time. He also
identified letter shown him as
Onn written nv him to his agent F"