The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-01-13
Death FOR 40,
.INJURE MANY
AT PEKIN, ILL.
Rockefeller Concern Smashed
Workers Organization
BY TOM TIPPETT.
(Staf Correspondent Of the Federated Press
and ''The Daily Worker'D

(Stan Correspondent Of the Federated Press
and The Daily Worker'D
PEKIN, Ill., Establishment of the
open shop, criminal negligence on the
part Of the company and efficiency
stunts are given by the survivors as
the direct causes for the fatal dust
explosion at the Corn Products Re-
filming Company's plant here.
The main blow-up occurred when ex-
plosive dust was lit in the dry starch
department of the plant. This was
caused by minor explosion in the
grinding room that shot fame thru
the spiral conveyor into the dry room,
according to men who were at work
In the pant at the time.
Between 35 and 40 workmen were
killed in the explosion and IS others
inJGred so badly that many of them
will die. There were no dust elimina-
ton suction-fans in the wrecked
building and no precautions against
explosions were taken since the union
in the plant was destroyed. During
the war the plant, which employs 800
men was organized and won union re-
cognition thru a decision of the War
Labor Board
In the general attack agaiIst the
minors i7o4e wsen She Stee be,
was al lelghl the Corn 1roduct
workers agreement expiredz The
company refused recognition ynd in
itiated fight on the uniont which
lasted many months In YEAR the
union was completely destroyed and
the open shop established. This sys-
tenn here meant that every man with
union affiliations or sympathies was
summarily fired, an elaborate spy sys-
tenn installed and the american
Plan" of efficiency put into effect.
Except for the 8-hour day all conces-
sions won by the union were lost.
The starch plant operates "a hours
a day with 8 shifts, seven days
week. Explosions are not unknown
in this kind of plants. This same
company has experienced them in
their works at Cedar Rapids, Ia, and
Edgewater, N. J. The men worked in
constant fear. The grinding room of
the starch works here was built to
accommodate explosions. The walls
and ceiling were of glass. This ex-
plosion began in the grinding room
where the walls easily gave way, the
men who have since died in the hos
pitfalls were from this. department.
The dry starch building where the
main explosion took place is connect
ed with the grinding room by a con-
veyor which carries the starch to be
powdered and packed for shipment.
1t is in this department that the
plants production is measured and
loaded for amrket TIE building was
an old one that was not made over
in the reconstruction of the plant.
There were 35 or 40 men employed on
its 4 different floors. The explosion
spent its force here, completely de-
molishing the building as though it
were an egg shell. Every man in the
department was killed.
While the union was functioning
one of its condition was that two men
be kept at work in the dry starch
building removing the dust. On
sunday, because OF union uOuOle-
time the plant was shut down, and
this opportunity was taken by the
dust men to. blow the machines
and clean the conveyors Since the
fall of the union no attention had
been paid the dust and il had ac-
cumuIated in deadly quantities thru
out the entire building. The trhee
shifts that pack and load the days
out put compete with each Others for
porduction records Survivors say
that the only consideration paid by
the efficiency experts to the dust
was childish instruction to the men
who sweep the foor to. wrap their
frooms with burlap.
The plant is a CHASTITY sepulchre
of ice for the curious crowds that
mill around the high steel fence Of
the plant. Ten miles away in
Peoria's most luxurious hotel, federal
and state officers are in conference
to investigate the explosion. The
Corn Product Company is Standard