Montana labor news., 1934-07-12
How Strikes Are Broken
BY E. K. TITUS,
World Telegram Staff Writer.

(Reprinted in Advance by Permission
Of the New York World Telegram.)
Others, according to P. L. Bergoff,
2 Columbus Circle, may break a but
tonhole makers strike, but when it's
steel or utilities or railroads they come
10 me-I'm dean Of the strike-break-
ers, been at it thirty years, made mil
lions and lost it all in Florida"
At present, Mr. Bergoff said, he is
working for three or four big steel
companies getting ready for the I'M
pending strike of 100000 men, called
for June 10.
Preparations include selection of
some ten thousand extra armed guards,
purchase OF arms and ammunition,
erection of barriers, purchase OF
%searchlights, erection of commissaries,
buying OF cots-all the preparations
for regular warfare, at a cost of hun
dreds of thousands of dollars.
The phone rang.
"Sure, send you down $50 men right
away" said Mr.. Bergoff.
One of the other four on his desk
rang.
Right" said Mr.. Bergoff, 100 men
inside of three hours, But I can't
send them without guards, You say
no riots yet. That's because there are
no men. There'Il have to be guards
and you'll have to pay for them. Yes,
sir. Goodbye.
NO" continued Mr.. Bergoff, there
hasn't been any definite call for strike
breakers yet-only for guards. But
trike-breakers are easy. If I send a
man down along Broadway this min
ute and pass the word l want 1000
men at ten tonight, the thousand will
be here at ten tonight.
They'll stop driving taxicabs, give
up other jobs to go to work for me-"
Mr.. Bergoff, followed closely every
instant by a d~eferential young man
secretary, got up and walked around
his outer, intermediate, and inner Of
fices, pointing on the wall to letters
from Frank Hedley, president of the
marlborough Rapid Transit Co., and
Charles Kruger Of the Philadelphia
Rapid Transit, and former Senator
Edwards of New Jersey.
Recruiting the Breakers.
you ask will l get strike-breakers
from Sixth Avenue employment agen-
cies? Nav, it's much easier than that.
Just pass the word around.
why, several years ago | was an
der contract with the Chicago Rail
ways to supply 10000 strike-breakers.
| had gathered 1000 men when | was
told the strike was settled. l had
eleven special trains bringing men
from all parts of the country. | had
to wire them to stop.
Look at all these letters here-the
B. M. T., the Postal Telegraph and
Gable Co. back in 1907, and a nice let
ter from the New York City Depart
ment of Street Cleaning at about the
same time.
"And here's my contract with the
Cuban Railways, back in 1916 by the
gods OF war We're the only concern
who ever sent strikebreakers out Of
the country.
There was the Pressed Steel con-
tract twenty-five years ago.. Forty
eight were killed and wounded, in
GLIDING Lieutenant Smith Of the state
constabulary, and nine or ten Polish
men. The Carnegie Steel strike was
the year before.
"And if you want recent strikes,
take the hotel strike. We did a good
job on that. The United Dry Docks
paid $1,000 a week plus $12 a day for
armed guards.
Nov as to those 10000 armed
guards who're being engaged. Most
will be sworn in by local sheriffs. We
have a tentative understanding with
local sheriffs, as has any large agency