The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-02-06
yellow CAB
SETS Police
on WORKERS
Wage Cut Protested;
Boss Calls Cops


When a group Of employees of the
yellow Cab Manufacturing compsny
called at the office Tuesday to request
Information regarding the new scale
Of wages (which was inaugurated In
the shop without their knowledge or
consent, they were met with force and
threats Of violence at the hands Of the
eompanys officers, house detectives
and about twelve city police officers
In uniform and In plain clothes.
Among the police officers was motor
cycle policeman.
The Yellow Cab Manufacturing COM
pany manufactures cabs for the
Yellow Cab Taxi company and for the
Chicago Motor Coach company. It en-
ployes about one thousand men in its
shops at $50 Dickens Avenue.
This company is notorious for its
spy system, having at least one stool
pigeon in each department and two
chief spies over the entire factory.
When the employees Of the enamel
department learned on last Tuesday.
that they were no longer going to be
paid on the old basis, Of rs cents per
hour with a premium Of % cents an
hour paid at the pleasure of the man
sgement, they decided to find out
under what conditions they were
going to be paid in the future They
marched in body to the assistant
superintendent. He was decidedly sur
prised when he saw the men and IN
CURED angrily what they were here
for.
Only Wanted information
The spokesman for the workers in
formed the boss that they came to
ask for information about the new
wage system in the shop, whether it
was to be piece work or so much per
hour. They were told that the fore
man should tell them, but the foreman
had already told the men that he
did not know anything about the new
system.
While the boss was calling up an
other boss. the spokeLm1a fsr sha
workers began to speak on the in
creased cost Of living and the inn
possibility of workers with families
living on the wages they were getting
not to speak Of accepting a reduction.
The boss became furious and shout
ed: "I'il be damned if am going to
let you talk like that here" He trem-
blde with anger and stood glazing at
the men. Evidently the idea of a
group of workers walking into his Of
flee was repugnant' to him.
Ordered Them Back.
BY degrees the house detectives be-
gan to gather The general superin-
tendent arrived but instead of giving
any information about the new wage
system. he ordered the men back to
work. They insisted on being inform
ed about the conditions under which
they were expected to work, but he
positively declined to give them any
information.
Are we going to be paid on the
old basis" the spokesman for the men
demanded.
you are not" replied the superin-
tehaent, DuJ 90 Dack 10 Work and
you will get paid"
The men refused to go back to work
lntil they were informed about the
new system. Then the boss tried TO
negotiate with them individually. The
men refused. all except four who got
frightened and agreed to return.
While this conversation was going
n a call was sent in for policemen
and they began dribbling in. The
police Immediately began to bully the
men and threaten them, calling the
eader of the workers "a Bolsheyik."
The patrol wagon was waiting out
side. One of the house detectives pat
ted his pocket where he carried his
gun saying: Il have something here
that will get you"
The city policemen acted just as II
they were beating up strikers on the
fCAnafpnn1 nnA.