Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-05-16
IMPORTING LABOR
Timer Brought from Milwau-
kee Alleges Misrepresen-
tation Of Conditions.
APPEALS TO AUTHORITIES
Employing Firm Enters Denial TO
Story Told, Claiming That Elk
plantation Was Given.

A stir has been created in tri-city
labor circles by the story told by a
timer brought from Milwaukee to
Moline by Willis & Sons, one Of the
concerns whose workmen have quit
because Of a refusal of the masters
to continue their shops union instead
of open"
The man alleges that he was in
duced to come to Moline on false rep
resentation of conditions, and he has
asked certain of the Moline city Of
ficials If redress in the courts is pos
sible.
The substance of the mans tale
is that he is from Milwaukee, is the
head of a family in that city, was
brought here by Willis & Sons, mas
ter timers, who paid his fare to Mo-
line and who, according to his allie
cations, represented that there was
no labor trouble in this locality.
Charges misrepresentation.
The relator says he is union man
and that false representations were
his arrival here he remained loyal to
the union, he says, and refused to
work in Willis & Sons open" shop.
Because of this he says that assist
ance is needed or he will be arrested
as a common tramp.
This timer says that Willis & Sons
have advertised all over the country,
saying there is no trouble here. He
desires to know If there is not a law
which prohibits contractors from
bringing outsiders under false repre-
sensations into q city where a strike
is in progress. The man was direct
ed to the police magistrate or the
states attorney.
Willis Version
The substance of the story was
told to Willis & Sons, and this state
ment was made by R. e. Willis, mem
Der of the firm:
81 have recently returned from
Chicago and Milwaukee, where
went to secure men to work in our
shop. I was successful in securing
seven men from Milwaukee and one
from Chicago. When 1 left here
took with me contract forms. in /
which the exact conditions in Moline |
were set forth. We lost these, and |
as we were to be in Milwaukee only |
a short time / did not have time to |
prepare others. thoroughly explain
ed the situation to each of the seven |
men. however, telling them of the |
strike here, that it was over the |
question OF CLOSED" shop, that they |
would not be taking other mems jobs, |
as we are holding the Jobs of all the
strikers open and are ready to take
everyone of them back at any time. |
Thought They Understood.
SCI then made out a statement
which the seven men signed. The |
men thereupon agreed to come here
under the conditions outlined by ny
self.
1--WE paid the carfare Of these men
and brought them to Moline. That
very night they were taken In hand
by members of the striking union and
the result was that but one of the
seven signed our contract and is now
working in our shop.
while 1 was in Milwaukee pro-
fessional strike breakers came to me
and asked for employment. 1 said.
No, what am after is good, honest,
men,
1.-The night before the arrival of
the seven Milwaukeeans, three tin
ners came down from Chicago. Two
of these refused to work. The Chi
cagoan who came with the Milwau-
kee men went to work"