Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 April 1920 — RAIL STRIKERS DEFT THE U. S. [ARTICLE]

RAIL STRIKERS DEFT THE U. S.

Leader Openly Boasts of Blowing Up Bridge at Minneapolis. STRIKE SPREADS OVER U. S. insurgents Hoot Down Old Chiefs at Meeting Called by Conservative Leaders —I. W. W. Takes a Hahd. S' Chicago, April 9.—While reports piled Into Chicago with details of the spread of the switchmen’s stride, which originated here, a meeting supposedly of loyal union switchmen was taken over by radicals, who at one time chorused their belief that they were "stronger than the United States.” The conservative railroad unions were being deserted by their erstwhile membership. And the newly formed unions—notably the Yardmen's association and the United Enginemen's association — have come forth with platforms calculated to destroy the labor organisations which have contracted with the railroads. Loyalists Call Meeting. A study of news dispatches makes possible a background for a picture of general conditions, striking details of which were painted nt the meeting. Samuel E. Heberllng, International president of the Switchmen’s Union of North America, who came to Chicago to make a desperate effort to curb the disintegration of his union and the outlaw strike, with loyal union associates, called a meeting of the union members. This meeting supposedly was protected against "packing” by radicals. But when W. X Trost arose to open the session he was hooted from the platform. He Is a con sedative and, like other officials of the old union, Is opposed to the strike. Mr. Heberllng talked for a time, Interrupted "by jeers and hisses. “This strike Is Illegal," the International president said. "You men cifn't get away with It. Do you think you’re bigger than the United States?"

At least 500 voices screamed the unexpected answer, “Test” Ami then, before a body of newspaper men openly admitting their Identity, and with a score of secret service men and police detectives in the audience, B. C. Estey, leader of the Yard Men’s association, mounted the platform, took control of the meeting away from Messrs. HeberUng and Trost, and shouted to loud approval the radical methods that must be taken to win the “strike. Tells I. W. W. Methods. Estey Is an I. W. W. Here Is.what he boasted of before the enthusiastic switchmen: “Just to show you who I ain —I was a leader of th& switchmen’s strike in Minneapolis in 1910 and 1011. I found some of the switchmen a little timid about going Into the strike wholeheartedly. Ro I went to the £ "Wit li a few loyal Wobhlles I crawled through a militia guard, and In one night wrecked four passenger trains and seven freights. The next night I blew up the railroad roundhouse. And on the night following that I blew up a railroad bridge. I. remember the date —April 11, 1910. “The bridge, crossing the Mississippi to Minneapolis to tills day is supposed to have gone down before an ice jam.” Confession Is Cheered. The speaker’s “confidence” was received with enthusiasm. “Do you know what we did? Why, we won that strike,” he shouted. “It was because we applied John Ganau tactics to the strike work. Those are the only tactics that can win and those we must use now.” John Granau was the organizer of the outlaw switchmen’s union In Chicago—the Yardmen’s association. He became immediately president of the union and, with the overnight spread pf the organization to other parts of the country, now has become the international president of a continental yardmen’s association. After he was practically driven from the meeting he called, PresidentHeberllng of the legitimate switchmen’s union admitted the switchmen’s union was controlled by the “reds.” “Our own union has Jost some of Its men,” he said. “The situation appears bad. We still believe, however, t{iat rational thinking will prevail.”