"STRIKE BREAKING."

NZ Truth, Issue 148, 18 April 1908, Page 7

"STRIKE BREAKING."

— ■. . , .» t HOW IT IS ORGANISED. ' Plute's Ways. There has been no more remarkable outcome of modern industrial conditions m America than the "strike-breaker." The notorious James Farley was the first to realise the possibilities of money-making open to the man who ranged himself on the side of Capital against Labor m cases where the oppressed workers had. been forced to have recourse to a strike m order to obtairf redress. So Farley organised an army of blacklegs, which he was ready to place at the disposal of the employers at a price: And the price wass such a good one"ihat he is now reputed to be a millionaire. To-day his methods have been elaborated and improved upon by others, notably' by Waddell and Mahon, "special agents," of New York. Their organisation is the, most REMARKABLE OF ITS KIND m the world. . . This firm has representatives " m every large city m the United States. They are thoroughly informed on general and local labor conditions, and are ready at a moment's notice to "jump" to the nearest places from their respective stations when a strike is likely to occur. If the' situation is ominous, the home office is communicated with by telephone, no matter what the distance, for quick action is the first requisite of the business, the purpose being either to avert a strike or to prevent strikers from obtaining too strong a position. No man can get his name upon this correspondence list as an eligible candidate for employment until he has passed a rigorous examination, for the time of THE THUG AND THE "PUSTER" as a strike-breaker is no more. To the fact that they have eliminated the man Who hired himself out as a strike-breaker for the sake of the excitement it afforded, Waddell and Mahon attribute a great part of their success. There is a corps of 23 men appointed for the sole purpose 01 examining candidates. At the head of it is Waddell 's father, who for 20 years was master mechanic for the Michigan Central Railroad, and m every different branch of trade there is an expert inquisitor. When this stage has been reached each man is called on to -sign a contract that he will remain at work on the new "job" at least 30 days. If he does not the amount of his transportation from his home to the place of employment is deducted . from his pay. By arrangement with the railroad companies special trains are engaged to carry bodies of one hundred men or more, and they are shipped m a body under one or more "special agents" m command. The utmost secrecy is observed concerning the transportation arrangements, through fear of interference from the strikers, and the cargoes o£ strike-breakers are frequently unloaded at side stations or m railroad yards instead of at the regular destination. Ay another precaution against attack a guard of -special deputies accompanies each group of strike-breakers, and the firm has standing arrangements with sheriffs everywhere to swear m others for emergency purposes. This comes within the province of the department of protection, the head of which is P. M. Bradley, formerly a sergeant on the police force of New York, who retired after 20 years of service. He has charge of an - ARSENAL CONSISTING OF 600 RIFLES, 1000 revolvers, and a like number of clubs or "billies," but bare is taken not to place these weapons into irresponsible or reckless hands. Nevertheless, even these precautions do not guarantee immunity from attack. In, the strike at Sunnyside coal mines, near Scranton, Pa., where. 5000 foreigners went out, Waddell and Mahon's strikebreakers were called on. The customary plan was pursued and a train load of men was sent there. Anticipating violence, the special agents m charge had the train run to the mine m the dead of night, but it was attacked by fully ai thousand armed strikers., and no less that five hundred shots were exchanged. None of the deputies were killed, and the loss of life on the other side was not learned, beoause the foreigners carried THEIR DEAD AND WOUNDED away under cover of the darkness. At another time during the strike, but m daylight, the strike-breakers and deputies were surrounded m the hills, and several volleys were exchanged, but the deputies cleared the ground by making a rush with their rifles. While this was going on, however, the first cars of coal taken from the mine by the new men we're blown up by- dynamite by another detachment of the strikers. The "breakers" held their own m spite of these experiences, and finally broke up the strike. In this connection it is testified by the two members of the firm and their agents that the average strike-breaker/ doesn't know what fear means. Sometimes there is a little wavering under fire on the

part of the foreigners, but invariably they follow the lead of THE AMERICANS AND THE IRISH, who are always m the van. When the employees of the Victor Fuel Company, Victor, Col., went on strike, Mahon himself assumed charge of a group of 200 strike-breakers and succeeded m unloading them at the little railroad station. They had safely disembarked, but were not 50 yards on their way when the platform and the station building was blown up by dynamite, and several members of the train crew and passengers were injured. Mahon, who was formerly a Pinkerton detective, has had many of these 'experiences, and he makes light of them all, but perhaps the most thrilling was that which befell him at Rattoom, New Mexico, where the workers m a coal and coke company struck. There being no .railroad leading directly to the company's works, it was necessary to transport the strike-breakers m stage coaches, and night was selected as a likely time to make the TRIP WITHOUT MOLESTATION. The coaches had not gone far, however, when they were held up by strikers m ambush, and a lively battle ensued. Seven of the strikers were shot dead fn their tracks by the deputies accompanying the party, but several of the latter were wounded, and Mahon himself lost two fingers of his left hand. Vast sums of money have been involved m situations m which the strike-breakers were called upon for aid. One iron company m Pennsylvania, for Instance, had a contract with the Japanese Government which not only involved an enormous forfeit if it was not fulfilled m time, but m the event of a lapse would have meant ruin to the concern. The strike came at the most inopportune time and the strikebreakers -were summoned. While their guards protected the works their skilled workmen undertook the task, the strik» was broken and the contract was filled fifteen days ahead of schedule time.