The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-07-17
DEbS TURNS
BIG GUNS ON
RAIL STRIKE
Tells Men to Strike To.
gether, Vote Together,
and Fight Together

Chicago, July 17.-Eugene V.
Debs, leader Of the great American
Railway Union strike in 1894, today
issued a statement to the striking
railroad men and other unions that
the time has come for the rank and
file to unite and strike together,
vote together and fight together"
There has been some slight dis
order and a few scabs have been
hurt" Mr.. Debs said. This has
been the extent of the violence, but
1t has been sufficient to bring the
strikers what they fought for in the
late World War. The federal gov
eminent announces, through the
department of justice, that it will
stand no trifling on the part of the
strikers and that if necessary arm
ed force will be employed at once
for their suppression.
"The governors of seven states
have simultaneously announced
that they have the national guard
in their respective states mobilized
and ready to move at command
when the exigencies of the situa-
tion demand action.
Revives World War.
you will have no trouble in
guessing what kind of action is
thus meant on the part of the ma
tional and state governments
which you shouted for, voted for,
invested your last dollar for, and
crossed the. Atlantic to fight and be
gassed and die for, in the war to
make the world in general and
America in particular, safe for de-
mocracy and liberty.
And now that the war is over
and Kaiserism is dead and democ-
racy and liberty are on top this
same crowd, to man, to whom you
rallied in such frenzy of enthu
siasm, to compensate you for your
noble patriotism, is now lined up
against you in battle array and
ready to shoot you down likS dogs.
Flags Union Leaders.
"It is true, Mr.. Union Man, that
your craft union leaders, with
scarcely an exception, stood with
the Wall Street profiteers in howl
ing for war and rushing you, the
common herd, into the trenches to
be gassed, mutilated and murdered
! while they remained in the rear
to receive the plaudits of the pluto
cratic press for their patriotism
But that does not excuse you, for
you chose those leaders and were
responsible for them, and after all
the leaders are about as fit or other
wise, as the rank and file that elects
them.
"If, in the light of this situation
you do not realize the Crying neeG
for unity, for solidarity on every
front, regardless of creed or color
you are indeed in a pathetic pligh
and your case is all but hopeless
Your weak craft unions have go
to be converted into powerful in
dustrial union, and you have go
| to cut loose once for all, from the
| IOltcA pOllIASoA poi klSo VI youl
masters. Your interests a!
workers and producers are abso
lutely identical, and industr,
should belong to different union:
or give their votes to different pc
litical parties.
Struggle Is @Critica!."
"This struggle is entering upoI
it's critical stage, and whether th'
toiling hosts shall emerge in tri
umph and establish industrial ant
social democracy in the world, O.
go down in humiliating defeat fo
another historical period of econ
omic bondage. depends entirel.
upon the capacity of the workers Il
muster their forces and stand to
gether, strike together, vote to
gether and fight together, all aloni
the line"