The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-13
CHICAGO LABOR
WAR OUTCROWTH
OF LONG STRIFE
Refusal of Unions to Accept Lands
Award Cause of Present
Violence.

Chicago, May 13.-The Chicago
labor war, now on in full blast, has
been waged in more or less violent
fashion for II years.
Causes behind the present trou-
Bile are these:
Refusal by 10 of the II building
trades unions to accept the eondi-
tons laid down in the Judge Lam
dis award, cutting building trades
workers wages approximately 12.5
per cent.
Reputation by the 10 unions of
tAeir agreement to the Lands
award.
Employment of outside nom
union labor by the Chicago Citizens
committee, which has taken hold
of the labor situation purely for the
sake OF getting the $110, O0O, 900 be-
lated building program under way.
Refusal of the citizens commit
tee to recognize or deal with either
officers or men of the insurgent 10
as union group as punishment for
failure TO live up to their agree
ment to the Lands award
Public disapproval and demand
for inquiry into the trials of union
leaders who were freed from Grim
inal charges under unusual circum-
stances.
Began in July.
The present disturbances date
back to last July. Up to that time
officials believed that the long
IF 10 n
an end following the seemingly
satisfactory magma charta of new
working conditions handed down
by Judge Lands, formerly on the
federal bench.
But the 10 unions rebelled against
it. These 10 were:
Carpenters, sheet metal workers
cement finishers, hosting engi-
neers, fixture hangers, fathers,
plumbers, laborers, composition
roofers and slate and tile roofers.
The remaining % union crafts
abided by their acceptance of the
agreement.
Even as far back as early spring
Fred Nader. president of the Build
ing Trades Council, issued a public
warming that after April l he did
not see how he coulu any longer
keep his men IN check or prevent
them from committing acts of vio
lence unless conditions were alter
ed
DenunciaiOn by Judge.
Chief Justice Hickman Seaman,
elected on a labor platform and
always a champion of unionism,
sprang surprise at about this
time by making an address to the
jury in open court in which he
charged that some of Chicago's
unions were controlled by ex-con-
victs and gun men, making conVIc-
ton OF some labor leaders impos-
sible. He charged that honest men
in these unions have been terror
izei by the gun men leaders.
Judge Scanlan'S charges follow
cd acquittal Of two Chicago union
leaders, one Of a murder charge
following killing III a saIoon hgn,,
and the other of graft and extortion
charges in connection with labor
troubles.
What Leaders Say.
Union officials deny charges OF
lawlessness leveled against them.
Here is what some of them say:
Fred Nader, president Building
Trades council: The present sit
uation is but natural result COM
ing from an attempt made by po-
Eucal and other agencies to foiSt
the open shop on Chicago unionism.
We are not the black sheep that
We have been painted. We neither
employ ruthless tactics to gain our
ends nor do We Countenance them.
Some time ago l went to Chief
Fitzmorris and told him 1 wanted
to go through this building fight
with clean hands and l have done
my part The men who committed
the outrages should be arrested.
tried and punished. l will do all
can 10 help.
But the situation has come to
such a point that whenever there
is a fire, explosion or some other
crime. propaganda is issued blam-
ing labor for the deed"
-LieS,- Says Murphy.
Big Tim" Murphy, head of the
Gas House Workers and Street
Cleaners union: Lies, lies, mess
of lies. That's what they've told
about US. Chicago unionism is the
same as unionism anywhere. The
big fight is over the open shop
which they are trying to push u.s.
into. But union men aren't run
ming about with guns"
Thomas Walsh, business agent
for the Sheet Metal Workers: Back
of the whole situation is d clever
plot. instigated by enemies of labor,
TO supplant un,onism with the open
shop. 1t seems to be the plan to
get union leaders out of the way
first, and. with that accomplished,
to make the downfall of unionism
easier. Charges that we are using