Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-04-16
rail STRIKERS
DEFY The u. S.
Leader Openly Boasts of Blowing
Up Bridge at Mime
apolis. !
STRIKE SPREADS OVER U. S.
Insurgents Hoot Down Old Chiefs at
Meeting Called by the Conserva-
tive Leaders,. w. w. Man
Takes Control OF Hall.

Chicago, April 1O.-While reports
piled into Chicago with details of the
spread of the switchmen's strike,
which originated here, a meeting sup
posedly of loyal union switchmen was
taken over by radicals, who at one
time chorused their belief that they
were stronger than the United
States"
The conservative railroad unions
were being deserted by their erst-
while membership. And the newly
formed unions the Yard
mems association and the United En-
ginemen's association - have. come
forth with platforms calculated to de-
stroy the labor organizations which
have contracted with the railroads.
A study of news dispatches makes
possible a background for a picture
Of general conditions, striking de-
tails Of which were painted at the
meeting.
Samuel e. Heberling, international
president of the Switchmen's Union Of
North America, who came to Chicago
to make a desperate effort to curb
the disintegration Of his union and
the outlaw strike, with loyal union
associates, called a meeting Of the
union members. This meeting sup
posedly was protected against "pack-
ing" by radicals.
But when W. J. frost arose to open
the session he was hooted from the
platform. He is a conservative and,
like other officials Of the old union,
is opposed to the strike.
Mr.. Heberling talked for a time, in
terrupted by jeers and Kisses.
'This strike is Illegal" the interna-
tional president said. "You men can't
get away with it. Do you think you're
bigger than the United States?"
At least 500 voices screamed the
unexpected answer, "Yesw
And then, before a body of news
paper men openly admitting their
identity, and with a score Of secret
service men and police detectives In
the audience, E. c. Estey. leader of
the Yardmen's association. mounted
the platform, took control of the
meeting away from Messrs. Heber-
ling and frost, and shouted to loud
| approval the radical methods that
must be taken to win the ''strike."
Estey is an I. w. W. Here is what
he boasted of before the enthusiastic
switchmen:
"Just to show you who AMI was
a leader of the switchmen's strike in
Minneapolis in 1910 and 1911. found
some Of the switchmen a little timid
about going into the strike whole
Aeartedly. So went to the 1. W. W
"With a few loyal Wobblies
crawled through a militia guard, an6
in one night wrecked four passenger
trains and seven freights. The nexI
night blew up the railroad round
house. And on the night following
that I blew up a railroad bridge.
remember the date-April IL, 1910.
"The bridge, crossing the Mississippi
to Minneapolis to this day is supposed
to have gone down before an ice JAM
The speakers confidence" was re
ceived with enthusiasm.
"Do you know what we did7 Why
we won that strike" he shouted. "It
was because we applied John Granar
tactics to the strike work. Those art
the only tactics that can win and those
we must use now"
John Granau was the organizer o1
the outlaw switchmen's union in Chi
cago-the Yardmen's association. HI
| haooroo fr,nodiofoJv oroc{dopf of fbx
union and, with the overnight spread
Of the organization to other parts ot
the country, now has become the in
ternational president of continental
yardmen's association.
After he was practically driven from
the meeting he called, President Heber
ling Of the legitimate switchmen'!
union admitted the switchmen's unior
was controlled by the "reds."