Speech 51
THE   USE   OF   VIOLENCE   IN   LABOR TROUBLES

REMARKS MADE TO A STRIKE COMMITTEE OF THE TEAMSTERS' ASSOCIATION, PRESENTING A PETITION IN REGARD TO A DISPUTE WITH THE EMPLOYERS* ASSOCIATION AND THE SUGGESTED CALLING OUT OF FEDERAL TROOPS, IN CHICAGO, MAY IO, 1905
MR.  SHEA, MR.  QUINN, AND GENTLEMEN:

I have read the petition you have presented to me, the conclusion of which is a request for a hearing before any action be taken by the Federal President, relating to the Chicago strike situation.  As yet no suggestion of any kind has come to me from any source that I should take any action.  Of the merits of the case I am wholly ignorant.  I have no knowledge of what the situation is, or of what steps should properly be taken to end it.  I feel, however, that in view of one statement, or series of statements, in your letter, I ought to say this: I regret that you should have in the letter spoken at all of the use of the Federal army as you have there spoken.  No request has been made to me for action by the Federal Government, but at the same time, Mr.  Shea, as you have in this communication to me brought up that fact, I want to say one thing with all the emphasis in my power.  In upholding law and order, in doing what he is able to do to suppress mob violence in any shape or way, the Mayor of Chicago, Mayor Dunne, has my hearty support.  I am glad to be able to say this to you gentlemen before I say it to any other body.  Now let me repeat that I know nothing of the facts of the situation.  I know nothing of the rights or wrongs of the points at issue.  What I have to say is based purely upon what I regard as the unfortunate phrasing of a letter presented to the President of the United States.  I have not been called upon to interfere in any way, but you must not misunderstand my attitude.  In every effort of Mayor Dunne to prevent violence by mobs or individuals, to see that the laws are obeyed and that order is preserved, he has the hearty support of the President of the United States, and in my judgment he should have that of every good citizen of the United States.

Now, gentlemen, it has been a great pleasure to see you, and I am glad to have had the chance to say this to you.

MR.  SHEA, ONE OF THE STRIKE COMMITTEE:

Let me explain.  The Governor has been requested by the committee of the employers to demand Federal troops.  The statement has been made in the papers.  I immediately telegraphed Governor Deneen that we would allow him to appoint a commission.

Regardless of that I want to make our position known to you in regard to mob violence.  Every time a mob congregates, every act of violence performed by either a union man or a sympathizer, it reacts to our detriment.  I believe that we are skilled workmen enough in our particular craft to demonstrate to our business men of Chicago that it is to their interest to employ us.  There is nothing at stake but the reemployment of citizens of Chicago who have been forced out of their positions.  Acts of violence meet with the condemnation of the officials, both local and national, of our organization.  It does not meet with the sympathies of our organization.  I simply want to say that we want to be fair, to preserve the business interests of Chicago, realizing that the prosperity of our employers is our prosperity.

THE PRESIDENT:

Mr.  Shea, I can only repeat what I have said.  I am a believer in unions.  I am an honorary member of one union.  But the union must obey the law just as the corporation must obey the law, just as every man, rich or poor, must obey the law.  As yet no action whatever has been called for by me, and most certainly if action is called for by me I shall try to do exact justice under the law to every man, so far as I have power.  But the first essential is the preservation of law and order, the suppression of violence by mobs or individuals.