Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1922-08-04
NO VIOLENCE.
IS SLOGAN OF
STRIKING MEN

TIE organised railway employees ars
conducting an orderly, vel disciplined
strike that should command the re-
sneel 81 the American people. They
ask ne support of al public officials
and Of the press in preserving law and
order.
-Four hundred thousand men have
suspended work and subjected them
selves n the hardShlp< Of nnemploy-
ment. IN order 70 maintain the right
Of every worker to \ living wages and
to prevent degradation Of the Amer
can standard Of living. 4 regular
army Of that size would contain some
/ laNleSs men. The railroads are eager
to publish stories Of violence 50 that
they may obtain blanket injunetions
and call for soldiers to encourage
strike breakers and 10 create public
hostility to the strikers. Yet only
sporadic acts of q few irresponSibles,
highly eolored and sleieasls eSagEer-
afed, have been reported.
Champaign and urhsna men are
conducting an orderly and well-eon-
Quoted strike that has won the respect
anu support Of every man and woman
Who have taken the pains to inquire
into the cause and effect Of the pres.
ent trouble, Mere has been no VIC
lenee on their part, and the public
has the assurance Of those In charge
there will be none. The slashing Of
n union man By scah he caught
stealing berries has been the only
trouble so far reported.
The employees cannot, and do not,
expect to succeed by violence. Moral
and economic pressure alone will win.
They ask the newspapers 10 give full
publicity. in aid Of maintaining pub
lie on,ler, to the following paragraphs
| from instructions sent before July 4,
10 all officers and members Of the
striking organizations:
In the conduct of every strikc
there are irresponsible individuals not
members of the organizations who
engage In disor,ierly conduct and
commit acts Of violence, which acts
are quite generally attributed 10
members of the organizations.
Every member Of the organixa-
tons involved viii be very careful 20
avoid associating with such persons,
and exert every possible influence In
dlscouraging their activities, that re
proach may not be cast upon the
cause.
"All officers and members are here
by warned and instructed not TO
commit acts Of violence or destruction
of property. The International Or
CARNATIONS and Railway Employees
Department do hereby advise that
they will not be responsible for any
unlawful net os,nx,.lttaa hxs a.., x.neS.,..
or persons"
Also. the laws Of all the organira-
tons concerned provide for discipline
and expulsion of members who en-
gage in lawless acts.
| The injunctions sought by some of
the railroads are not needed or OBJ
tanned to preserve peace. They are
intended rather TO protect the lawless
gunner employed ms guards
as the one who killed an inoffensive
boy In Clinton, Illinois. II Is equally
unnecessary TO call out the troops TO
camp around railroad shops and yards
at great expense to the tax burdcned
publie--thus misleading people 10
think of the peaceful disciplined
groups Of railway employees as gangs
of rioters.
| The organized employees are Law
abiding American citizens, who ars
giving remarkable exhibition Of or
DERBY determination In their wholesa,s
sacrifice TO win the right Of q decent
living out of their labor. They know
that strike-breakers will do the roads
more harm than good. They know
that their trained service is necessary
for efficient transportation. They
know that by steadfast. peaceful re
fusal to work for inadequate wages
they will be able eventually to obtain
the ''just and reasonable" wages TO
which they are entitled legally and
morally.
The employees organizations will
support every measure TO suppress
violence or disorder In connection with
the strike. They are already furnish
ing guards at the request Of some Of
the railroads for properties where no
strike-breakers are employed. Every
case of disorder reported to the or
ganizations is Immediately investigat-
ed and every possible means taken
promptly TO stamp II out.
No violence" was the first, and IL
the standing order Of the employees
organization. The railroad manage
ments have responded with armed
guards, with federal marshals carry
ing guns and injunetions. and with
militiamen bearing rifles and machine
guns.
The hands Of four hundred thous-
and men are empty. The work they
are ready to do for fair wage Is de-
MED them. But their hands are clean.
The railway homogeneous have mobi-
lized men In whose hands are guns.
IL is to them and not to US that the
newspapers and public officials should
cry warning: mo violence. gentle
| fpano