The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-08-23
TO UNION MEN TO As
SYST COMRADES CHARGED
VITA MURDER.
Takes Hot FiinGs at Steel Corpora.
uon' Declaring That They Are
"Pereeuted.-

N"' oSt'eFinS mat Vhey Are
"P~ersecuted."
With the Ohio Valley Trades and
Assembly hail crowded with IovaIl
Union men from all over the Wheel
ing district. Anton Johannsen OF san
Francisco. and general of
the U. B OF - a J. Of A., delivered
an u stirring and enthusiastic
speech yesterday afternoon. taking
not uings at various corporations in
seneral and the steel trust in par.
ucular. which he declared IL the one
corporation That h behind the move.
ment TO prosecute labor
lions. The points made by Mr.
Johannsen were loudly applauded
and al the close OF his address "A
resolution was unanimously adopted
by the Trades Assembly that each
member Civ ten cents to secure
suiflcient and able legal talent to de-
Tend VI. A. Schmidt. member of the
carpenters union. No. l3S. New York
city. n David Captain. members of
me BARBER union. No. 1876, Seattle.
washington. These men were Ar
rested on a charge of murder alleged
10 have grown out of the Los An
Eeles. Cal. Times disaster. Their
trial Il set for September 1.
II Is for this particular reason Mr.
Johannsen is speaking over the
country; speaking in every principal
city that sufficient funds may be
raised 10 defend these two men.
whom the labor organizations declare
are being prosecuted by the steel cor.
poratton. Mr.. Johannsen came TO
this city from Detroit where he spent
I EaNnra1 Aapu .pA In -.-a i -
vicinity for a week in the interest OF
labor and to explain the position In
which Schmidt and Captain have been
placed. n IT Is up to labor organi
zations to render all the aid possible
in freeing the men of the charge
against them.
Did Not Minee Words.
Mr.. %Johannsen was introduced at
the meeting by Walter II. Hilton.
editor of the Wheeling Majority. Mr..
Johannsen did lot mine words in
telling his opinion of the corporations
that are said to be prosecuting labor:
he did not call a spade an agricultural
implement. but a spade.
In part he said:
This case grows out OF the famous
Mcnamara case. In order to get an
intelligent understanding of the social
forces that lie I'm the background, u
will be necessary Il know that in
1901. in the office of j. u. Morgan IN
New York city. the United States
Steel Corporation was organized. II
was resolved by the Board of Direc-
tors to eliminate Unionism from this
industry. Every effort has been made
both legally and otherwise TO carry
out this resolution. This corporation
was organized with one billion and p
half capital stock. The real value
was approximately three hundred mil.
lion. This stock paid from 4 TO . per
cent dividends. In order TO be able
To pay interest 10 the enormous ac-
cumulation OF property by his cor
poration there vas no way except TO
take II from the sweat n blood ana
lives Of labor.
In the Industrial war thai followed
this gigantic attempt to crush union.
ism every single labor union in this
industry has been destroyed. with the
notable exception OF the Bridge ana
Structural Iron Workers.
Having crushed their attempts at
organization. the Steel Trust proceed.
ed 10 exploit them mercilessly. Il was
SHOWN by the Stanley Commission in
the united States Congress that IN
thls industry the men work twelve
hours a day every day in the year
1t Is my judgment. and vas a stated
10 the commission. that any instttu.
ton responsible as the Steel Trust IA
Ior destroying the spirit OF protest IN
the souls OF approximately one million
men, women AMI children is Infinitely
more criminal. and more dangerous to
civilization. than the McNamaras ana
thelr associates could have been IL an
me charges mad against them hao
Deen true. which labor denies
preceding the Times disaster VIC
ma the Merchants and Manufactur.
trs Association in Los Angeles resist.
lhE by all means. legal and other
wise every effort on the part Of the
workers. and their friends TO estab.
Iish a shorter work day and a wage
commensurate with a decent living
lnuI finally a GENERAL strike took
pace IN all the iron trades. which
Odde 10 be successful. when the gov.
'INhlent OF Los Angeles without any
warning passed an ordinance called
an a~nttpicketing act. which prohibit.
ed union men from speaking 10 non
union men. ~
And now for the final drama. /
when is about 10 bc staged I'M Los
Nhsoles-the trial Of VI. A.. schmidt
member Of Carpenters Union. No
i''' NeW York city. and David Cap