Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-07-16
MARY TEMPLE ORDERS BURTON
FROM HER HOME.

MARY TEMPLE ORDERS BUXTON
FROM HER HOME.
"She don't amount to row OF
beans" he chuckled.
Bill Thompson, however, though a
persistent person, was by no means
self-seeking. The mere fact that Bur-
ton seemed to be popular with his
fellow-workers caused Thompson to
make use Of him. Thus, when the
union decided that shorter hours and
an increased rate of pay should be
demanded from the company, Burton,
actually without his own knowledge
or consent, was appointed spokesman
OF q deputation which was to wait on
President Temple. He was surprised
when the selection was made known
to him, but, in the happy-go-lucky
way which cloaked his real strength
OF character, he entered into the pro-
ject more as an adventure than as a
serious undertaking which might af-
feet the whole course Of his future
life.
Thompson, together with the other
moving spirits in the union, decided
to strike while the iron was hot A
messenger was sent to the presidents
office to say that some of the men
wanted to see him. Naturally Mr..
Temple wished to know their bust
ness, but the boy who brought the
message was unable to state Ut,
though he added, on his own respon-
sibility, that the crowd looked ugly"
Greatly surprised, the president sent
for Mr.. Reeves, and, after brief
consultation with his manager, de-
cided to hear what the men had to say,
whereupon the deputation entered the
office and John was thrust forward
to formulate their demands.
The president was very angry and
told Burton and the others point blank
that he would not yield to any Of their
requests, whereupon the workers, in
turn, lost their temper and began
breathing threats. Thompson, being
little man, was hidden BY his more
stalwart mates, but he had the wit to
choose the psychological moment
when to utter the ominous word,
"Strikel"
Burton, glib as ever, took It up and
put the matter into plain English.
This was the one small spark needed
to fire mine charged with high ex-
plosive.
White with rage, Temple ordered
the deputation out of the office,
storming at them as If they were so
many dogs. In consequence, they left
him in the worst possible frame of
mind, and Burton was so carried
away by the situation that when he
faced the main body of workers, gath
cred in the factory yard, and recited
the unsatisfactory result of the inter-
view, he was almost as keen as
Thompson or any of the others to
urge strike in behalf Of their rights.
Transition from spoken threats to
overt actions is perilously easy in
such conditions. Almost before the
leaders Of the union we'll knew what
was happening, some irresponsible
youths in the crowd threw stones
through the office windowe NJ
Reeves chose that uniortrn,t. r,a.
ment to gaze ont NJ the mob M
heavy missile covered hin, With hraL
en- glass and narrowlv missed II.
head. He took shelter bvrr;sJIn Ths
president filled with frry .r.;,s.
these disobed;ent asl,v.sa ersSh.d
the Telephone and called Ia ,hs ~
lice station The riot devsIa,.d ~
idly. Nearly every name ri ola.s +
the office WAS hroLen ,s;,h;s s.
minutes John srnnorted H. H.
saner-minded comrad.s IA ~
difficulty IN saving tbe i,c.or, !...t
from being fired ' "
D.. 500,
J.. burton was using an ms eloquence
" Pelsuaue tne CROWD 70 go home
a. snu .s avail n, 'ne outcome OF meeting
W ue he,u tnat night when the tu-
lnui' IN tne street outside the factory
ss'e Ieaenea sucn dimensions that
, me, win d; Hsners, ran out 70 see what