The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-05-20
STRIKE LEADER REFUSED TOTAL u.
\ FoRPLOT TO BLOWUP H0USEb0AT
MY BEST LABOR STORY
BY DANIED TOBIN,
General President, International
Brotherhood of Teamsters and
Treasurer, A. F. of u.

Treasurer, A. F. of Il.
In Boston in 1907 during our
strike Of the Transfers strike break
ers were brought in by the firm Of
Waddell & Mahon, a New York de-
tective agency. The strike breakers
were recruited from the slums of
New York and Philadelphia.
Conditions amongst them were so
bad in Boston that the Board Of
Health would not allow the hotels
and boarding houses to keep those
strike breakers, who were diseased
and unclean, with the result that
the agency brought from New York
the steamboat Zealandia, which was
used to house the strike breakers
in San Francisco some years before,
during the Water Federation strike.
This filthy. floating houseboat
was locked at Congress street, Bos-
ton, and housed about strike
breakers, and you can imagine what
the conditions of living within that
old steamship were.
There were men of every color
and nationality with filth, dirt, dis
ease and degeneracy. During sat-
urday night and all day Sunday,
turmoil and fighting prevailed.
A form of military regulation OBJ
tanned. They had their captains,
lieutenants, and sergeants and when
the strike breakers went down into
the ship, marched there in military
style, they could not come up again
until they were brought for work.
One Or two decent fellows that
had been kidnapped and brought
there with the rest of the crowd
jumped overheard and swimming to
shore came to our office and ex-
planned to- us the conditions obtain
ing in that boat.
The third month of the strike
while working in the office Of the
local union. at the corner Of Beverly
and Causeway streets. q slim, dark
looking man entered the office and
walking toward the end of the room
which was about so feet long, he
asked for Mr.. Tobin. who had
charge Of the strike.
When I looked up I imme diately
recognized one of the strike break
ers. I said to hiw, What do you
want?"
He answered, Are you Mr.. To-
bin?'
I said, eyes,"
He said, II, am an expert machin-
ist. I was out of work and came
over here as a strike breaker. I am
down in the Zealandia. know all
about the machinery Of that ship:
My sympathies are with the union,
etc. II you will give me $500, enough
to take me west, where I belong, I
have arrangements made with q pal
of mine whereby I can have that
ship blown up during the night
said, "You mean you would de-
stroy that ship thereby. drowning
all of those men-those strike
breakers?
He said, Eyes, that is the best
way to get rid of Them"
I looked at that cold bloodeA,
pale-faced, dope fiend. and desiring
to delay him somewhat, because
was indeed confused and somewhat
disturbed, I said to him. well, I
have not that much money in the
office. I do not know whether or
not I can get that amount now, but
if you will wait until I can see the
secretary treasurer, I will let you
know"
I stepped forward and called in
my co-worker. who is now working
for the International Union and who
was working with me during the
strike, and whispered to him. telling
him to set into the telephone booth
and call the police at once.
This strike breaker was one of the
most dangerous of his type / had
ever met. He stood off about 20
feet from lis and close to a. side
door, and although my partner made
no effort except to move toward the
telephone booth, the minute he saw
him move in that direction, he made
a. dash, springing for the side door
and escaped down Beverly street,
and I never saw him afterward. :
It is strange that the public some-
times charge the men Of Labor with
being responsible for some Of the
crimes that take place during "a
strike, when the. real truth Of the
matter is that the men OF Labor
prevent more crime and more
prevent more crime and trouble dur
ing a. strike than any other class of
individuals. The influence of
the labor 1eaeder is Of such i'm
portance that no other individual
could control tho men who feel that
an injury has been done them. The
labor leaders are always advising
the men not to commit violence or
wrong-doing as it. will only bring
discredit to the organization en-
gagged in the controversy. In addi-
ton to this. the low type Of men
employed as strike breakers are cap
able Of committing any kind OF
crime and are willing to sell them
selves in order to destroy their fel-
lowmen. :. y 20. H.
Labor officers in charge Of strikes
are sometimes forced to come in
contact with such criminals as those
mentioned above and the public
never understands the good that ID
sometimes done by the men OF Labor
who are handling strikes year after
year. OF course, no Labor man
with any sense will talk with a de-
generate or the owner Of a detec.
tive agency, which is usually q
strike breaking agency.
ThA ovnAr;oncoo urIofoh 10 ~.