Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 April 1920 — A BAD ACTOR [ARTICLE]

A BAD ACTOR

‘ We should think that the authorities—federal, state or municipalmight find a way to deal with E. C. Estey, one of the organizers of. the new labor organizations, the Chicago Yardmen’s association, and ( a leader of the strikers. This man । is openly advocating the destruction ( of property, or sabotage. In a statement last week he boasted of ( his lawlessness, and of the criminal । acts in connection with a railroad ! strike in Minneapolis and St. Paul ।

10 years ago, of which he had charge. He said that he was “proud to be a rebel.” He spoke of his operations and methods in the strike referi'ed to above, as follows: I went down to the I. W. W. headquarters and got some help. Then one day <our passenger trains were wrecked. The next day seven freight trains were wrecked. Then we sent word to the railroads that if they didn’t come across we would tear,, down the roundhouse. Tney didn’t answer—we did. The roundhouse was torn down. Then the railroads begged for mercy and asked to meet us. We told them to come to us. There was a meeting. The union drew up a contract and the railroads refused it. The next day we blew up a bridge. That night an ice jam formed in the river and tore down the rest oi tne bridge, so they don’t know to this day who did the job. But we won the strike. I did 90 days in jail for blocking the mails. I got oft light because I told the judge I didn't know the law. But of course I knew it then as well as I do now. • This man brazenly, and with manifest pride confesses himself a criminal. “We blew up a bridge,” he says. The strike, of which he was in command, was won by wrecking passenger and freight trains and tearing down roundhouses. And now he is urging the same criminal policy on the men under his command. If Chicago had such a mayor as Ole Hansen, who smashed the 1. W. W. strike at Seattle, this man Estey and his associates would be quickly and easily suppressed. But, as far as can be seen. Mayor Thompson does not seem to be interested. The local authorities have, apparently, made no effort to prevent interference with the operation of trains within the limits of Chicago. Admittedly this is no case for arbi-

tration. For John Grunau, president of the new union, said a few days ago that questions of wages and hours had become of secondary Importance, and that the real fight was for supremacy over the old brotherhoods. It Is, therefore, not a strike against the roads, but against the brotherhoods. As the destruction of these is a feature of the socialist program, it seems fair to assume that this strike is the work of radical agitators. This inference is strengthened almost to the point of conclusiveness by the boasting of Estey. The mere fact that he is one of the strike leaders, still further strengthens the inference. And when he glories in a record of crime, and advises that the crime be repeated, there is no doubt left that the railroad employes are simply being used by radicals to further their own dangerous and wicket purposes. The brotherhoods have every interest in breaking this strike, for they are fighting for their life. But the pronouncement of Estey, one would think, should 311g.gest to the authorities that they are not wholly without responsibility. He has very generously given them his record, or a part of it, and is boldly advocating a resort to criminal practices.—lndianapolis News.