The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-22
Sick and Tired of Having Strik-
ers Blamed, He Says.
Not Going TO Destroy Industry
=, Whereby They Live"
FORM VIGILANCE COMMITTEES
ShOpmen to Aid Authorities in
Placing Responsibility.
Jewell RidicuIes Charges Which
He Says Are Outrageous.

Washington. Aug 22.-StriIing
sffopmen all over the country today
were ordered to form vigilance COM
mfttees" to aid local authorities in
placing responsibility for train wrecks
and damage to railway properties.
Aroused by repeated charges of
railroad officials that strikers have
been at the root of the recent wrecks
and bombing -outrages. Bert NJ. Jewell.
strike leader, today issued orders that
the circumstances surrounding every
such occurrence be investigated by a
union official.
II am sick ana tired of having the
strikers blamed for every wreck and
fake bombing that comes along, .
Jewell said.
'It's outrageous to, charge strikers
are responsible for these acts of vio-
lence. They're not crazy and they
aren't going to destroy the industry
whereby they live They are certain
" not, going 70 wreck trains and kill
their friends and sympathizers in the
train crews. Rotten equipment is
causing the wrecks Ana as for the
bonbings. why. they happen in the
most impossible places-placesN a
striker couldn't ged to-surrounded by
Says Spot Was Guarded.
Take the blowing mp of the water
main in the Southern railway shops
tinued Jewell That main runs I'M
guarded thru five or sikh miles OF open
country. The shops are heavily
guarded. And. 10 and behold, when
the blow came up, IL was seventy-fiye
yards inside the yard fence.
IF a striker had wanted to break
that main he could have Done it by
going out into the open country with
a sledge hammer and hitting the pipe
a few blows. That would hive done
the trick and without any loud roar,
either.
"a funny thing about hese ex-
plosions is that they make a. lot OF
noise and don't do any damage to
speak of. It's always the corner of
a building or an old freight car. Why,
at Huntington. w Va, the machine
shops have been dynamited three
times without any one getting hurt, or
any serious damage being done. 1t
doesn't seem natural"
Says Locomotive Caused Wreck.
Chicago, Aug 22.-DecIaring the
real causes of the Michigan Central
wreck at Gary, Ind, early Sunday
was clearly an unfit LOGON olive" and
that the wreck was due to plottArs as
a hastily patched up explanation to
pace the blame for loss of life upon
the striking shopmen, instead of on
the railroad. where it belongs" j. F.
McGrath. vice-president of the Rail-
way employees department of the
American Federation of Labor, today
said the wreck did not, differ a par
ticle from wrecks reported each day
from various parts of the country"
FReports are based upon an inves-
Ugation by company officials and
armed guards" he said. What can
the public expect to get in the way OF
unbiased reports from men who are
hired to fight the employees on strike"
NIcGrath's. statement came on the
heels OF the verdict of the coroner >
jury which found that the engineer
and fireman of the wrecked express
came to their death "as a result of a
plot to wreck the train"
1t also followed an announcement
by States Attorney Crows office ad-
hitting failure to discover sabotage
plots in correspondence seized in raids
upon offices of William z. Foster.
radical leader and head of the Trades
Union Educational league.