The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1919-08-30
CHICAGO F. OF |. PUTS BLAME
ON PACKERS FOR RACE RIOTS
Five Big Packers Take Desperate Chances TO Defeat Union
Labor in Packing Industry STORY Told by Labor Officials
Reveals Bold Plan to Create Hatred Between Races

CHICAGO, Aug. 2S.-To disrupt the
started the recent race riots which
resulted in the death and injury Of
several hundred persons.
This charge is made in a proclama-
ton issued by the officers of the
Chicago Federation of Labor.
With the issuance of the procla1na-
ton over 10000 stock yards employees
suspended work to compel the au-
thorities to withdraw soldiers, police
men and guards from the stockyards
vicinity. The workers declare they
have no objection to working with
colored workers., who will join the
trade union movement If let alone.
In their proclamation, the officers
of the federation of labor say:
Makes Bold Charge.
THE profiteering meat packers of
Chicago are responsible for the race
riots that have disgraced the city.
Ever since organized labor first
started to unite the stockyards en-
ployes, the packers have fought these
efforts Of the workers with every
weapon at their command.
discriminating against union men,
they have fired them and hired non
union men in their places. In recent
years their principal recruiting points
for nonunion workers have been in
the south, and nonunion colored
workers have been brought here in
great numbers just as they are being
brought here now by the railroads.
or were up to the outbreak of the
race riots.
with the colored worker. Workers,
white and black, are fighting the
same battle. The unions met the ac-
ton of the packers by starting to Or
ganize the colored workers.
Started Fight On Unions.
LAS soon as this work commenced,
the packers started to fight the unions
with full tactics. They subsidized
negro politicians and negro preachers
and sent them out among the colored
men and women to induce them not
to join the unions.
Their purpose in this, which dur
Ing the last several weeks has borne
bitter fruit, was to play upon race
tween whites and blacks, which would
prevent the colored workers from
Joining the unions and prejudice the
white workers against them for that
reason. Notwithstanding their efforts,
the colored workers came into the
union in large numbers.
Squads of union organizers held
street corner meetings as the workers
left the yards. The packers called on
Captain Caughlin of the stockyards
station for mounted police to break
up these meetings, and Captain
Caughlin, tool of the packers, sent his
blue coats there to ride down the
men who gathered to listen to the
speakers. This caused a strike Of
stockyards workers until the feder-
alton officials and the officials of the
stockyards labor council stepped in
and secured the transfer of Captain
Caughlin away from the yards and the
cessation of this cossack practice.
Mass Meeting Planned.
1.-THE union planned a gigantic mass
meeting and demonstration to take
place Sunday, July 6, at which white
and blac kworkers were to parade to-
gether throughout the stockyards dis
tr1ct and gather to hear speakers in
public playground
ION the last day before, this event,
the. packers called upon the police
and said they had information that
the negroes were arming to assault
the whites and they wanted the pa
s'ade permit revoked at least they
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