Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-18
RAILWAY CRISIS TODAY
RECALLS 1894 STRIKE
Country Got Serious Setback
by Pullman Troubles More
Than IS Years Ago.


that this country has ever gone
through broke out IN 1894 In Chicago.
This WAS the Pullman strike, which
tied up traffic 10 the Pacific and to
Canada.
Eugene V, Debs, now serving n
prison sentence AT Atlanta for viola
tion Of the Espionage act. was the
directing head Of the 1894 strike, and
was sent to jail for the first time for
collision with the Government dur
ing IL. Debs came into charge of tho
strike through being president of the
American Railway Union.
The trouble arose in the Pullman
plant on the southern outskirts OF Chi
cago during period OF general busi-
ness depression, somewhat akin TO that
of the present. The issue, however
was the reverse bf today's. the men
then asking an increase to helm them
meet the hard times.
A boycott was declared on ali Pull.
man cars. IL resulted in tying up all
traffic, including the mails, over wide
area, and violence broke out in Chi
cago. The Federal Government order
ed regular troops here. They were
met by mob and could not proceed
until reinfsrcements came up.
Governor John z. Altgeld, of Illinois
complained TO President Cleveland for
sending troops. declaring the state
could handle the situation, but Presl-
dent Cleveland stood firm on the need
OF Federal troops.
Mobs burned cars by the hundreds.
more troops were sent in. and presi-
dent Cleveland issued a proclamation
| calling for order.
Dehs was arrested on a charge OF
conspiracy against the United States.
Twelve were shot and fatally wound
ed In Chicago and vicinity, SIS were
arrested by the police and Il were ar
rested and indicted under FedaraI
statutes.
Loss to the roads in property de-
stroyed and hire Of United States
| deputy marshals was estimated al
| $500 900.
a threatened strike involving 12h
600 switchmen was averted in March
1910, when Federal board of arbitra i.
ton granted a three-cent-a -an-hour in.
crease in wages. Shortly after general
increases In pay were granted railroad
employees by many OF the larger road IA
after extended hearings before Fed.
eral bodies.
| When Woodrow Wilson first became
President a general railroad strike
seemed imminent, but IL was averted
largely through the passage OF tn,
j Adamson law.
A threatened strike OF railroad shop.
men in 1919 resulted in several thou.
sand workers in various sections OF
the country leaving their work. Tn,
workers, who asked higher wages. re.
turned to their jobs during August
after President Wilson had issued 4
request that the men remain at work
pending adjustment of wage dispute,
by the Government, which was operat.
ing the roads at that time.
Railroad circles have been compare.
lively free from labor troubles sine,
the unauthorized strike called April /
1920, which was ended by order of the
Railroad Labor Board incrcasins
wages handed down July 20, 1920, and
made retroa ctive 10 May Is that year
The unauthorized strike, called b,
an independent organization of yart
employees headed by John Grunau. o.
Chicago. threatened for time to par
alyze the nations transportation facil
tiles.
Thousands OF yard employees II
practically every important railroad
centre left their established unions
joined the new organization and qui
work. The big four brothers Responded
by revoking charters wholesale am
sent loyal union men into strike field
20 operate trains and break the walk
out. Although no official figures wer'
ever compiled. union leaders estimated
that between 100 and $50 local chart
ers were revoked and nearly 100000
union men suspended for participating
in the strike.
The Grunau organization finally ex
pired when the Railroad Labor Boar'
refused 10 recognize it or 10 order il
members reinstated in the position
they formerly held.