The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-09-30
GREAT STRIKE CALLED.
ORDER TO STOP WORK MAY
COME ANY MOMENT.
Only Thing Now is Selection Of
Hour by International President
Thirty-Hve thousand Men Will be
Involved In Walk.out.

Involved In waik.out.
Chicago. Sept. 2s.--At midnight the
threatended strike order for $4,000
shop employees on the Hartman lines
and the Illinois Central railroad had
not been issued. Despite persistent
nsports that the strike would be call
"a at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.
r,slisble information indicates that
TIE deliberations OF labor officials
nay be continued over Sunday.
A strike on all the Hartman lines.
involving more than $4,000 shopmsa.
- inevitable. according to the five
presidents OF the international unions
20 which most Of the men belong.
The calling OF the strike waits only
upon the word from the ofYicials who
have not yet agreed upon the hour.
According to these same cfficials
tie contemplated strike will to q
great extent determine the future at
tituds Of all railroads In their deal
ings with employees.
The shopmen will strike. they say.
not because Of any dissatisfaction
with wages nor conditions Of labor.
bu: to establish the newly organized
federation Of shop Employees an a
means OF negotiating disputes be-
tween the employers AMI employees.
Ths railroads refuse to recognize the
fsdsrstion because they say II would
mean practically placing all operat-
ins afkairs In the hands Of the fed
srntIon and would turn railroad man
asemsnt into chaos.
The dispute reached q climax to-
day when julius Kruttschnit. vice
preadent Of the Hartman lines. re-
itsrated the determination OF the
roa'is not TO meet with the fedora
tion. ,. w. Kline. president OF the
international Blacksmlths and Help
srs' union. communicated this deci-
sion to other union heads and then
authorized q statement that a strike
would be called ~ soon a. the day
and hour could be agreed upon. La
ter 10 was said three OF the five union
heada including the machinists. hith-
srte the chief restraining force. were
sgrssd tn call . strike Saturday, not
later than noofl.
With talk OF an immediate strike
came news from New York Of the
reorganization Of the Hartman lines,
moving Mr.. Kruttschnitt. by whom
All the railroads affected have been
conducted. to New York. making
him . member Of the board Of dirsc-
t0rs and apparently extending his
power.
Mr.. Kruttschnitt In refusing to
treat with the men denied that they
have any grievance and intimated
that the unions had sought to devise
nnsasures to end harmonious re,a.
stonsL
@HS iu Boou snaps
10 withstand a prolonged strike. II
= said they have been employing
men In all the centres Of population
Tor months and have long list of
men ready 20 take places Of strikers.
Dispatches from the shops In Cali
fornia state that mos. Of the big
railroad shops are enclosed by fences
mat viii serve as stockades and In.
sure protection TO laborers
Possible action Of the railroads is
aid to be Indicated by the Illinois
Central railroad at Memphis and New
Orleans In obtaining a federal In
function restraining striking clerks
from Interfering with interstate COM
rnerce through picketing or other
means.
Five unions will be affected directly
oy strike order. the international
Mschinists. the Blacksmith and Help
sra tho Boiler Sheet Metal Workers
and the Carmen.
All of these unions have voted In
favor OF a strike as an alternative of
not getting recognition of the fedora
fion.
The situation II made more COM
piicsted by labor struggles already In
existence. Through the South. clerks
and freight handlers. although not
directly concerned In the federation