Any soldier who is guilty
Can be called a “Labor Hun.”
-Thomas H. West
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Hellraisers Journal – Monday January 13, 1919
Kansas City Labor Poet on Soldiers, in Uniform, Serving as Scabs
Thomas H. West, in his latest poem for working men and women, tells the sad story of soldiers gone scabbing against the street car strikers of Kansas City. The poem is entitled “Uniforms Disgraced” and was first published by the Labor Herald of Kansas City, Missouri.
From the Leavenworth Labor Chronicle of January 10, 1919:
More from The Labor Chronicle:
It should be noted that there is a street car strike ongoing also in Leavenworth, Kansas, as well as in other localities of Missouri and Kansas. Division No. 802 of the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employes of America wants the public to know that their strike is not settled and asks for the support of their fellow citizens.
From The Pittsburg (Kansas) Headlight of January 9, 1919:
U. S. Marshals can also be found serving as scabs in Kansas City.
U. S. MARSHALS TAKE OVER CARS
—–
In Kansas City, Kas., Judge Pollock
Puts Them in Charge.
—–From Thursday’s Daily.
Kansas City, Jan. 2.-Under orders from judge John C. Pollock of the federal court, United States, Marshals today took control of the street cars and property of the Kansas City Railways Company in Kansas City, Kas., as an out growth of the strike of motormen and conductors in progress since Dec. 11. Trainmen as well as guards are being employed by the federal authorities and assigned to duty as rapidly as they can be sworn in. All are armed…..
From The Kansas City Kansan of January 11, 1919:
Kealy claims the strike is over.
NOT A STRIKE NOW
—–
President Kealy Says Street Railway
Has Full Force of Employes.RUNNING 71 CARS IN K. C., K.
—–
According to Employment Bureau’s Figures
1,300 Trainmen Are at Work and 300
in Company Training School.
—–There is no street car strike in Kansas City, Kas., nor in Kansas City, MO., according to the announcement of President P. J. Kealy at noon to-day.
According to the records of the employment bureau of the company, Mr. Kealy said the company now was supplied with more trainmen than before the strike was called. Of the strikers, 1,558 were trainmen, Mr. Kealy said. Employment records of yesterday, he said, showed 1,700 men now in the employ of the company, of whom 1,300 are operating cars, the others being in training school.
There were said to be 60 cars in service in Kansas City, Kas., at noon with a morning and evening rush hour maximum of 71. The service is gradually improving over the early strike conditions but it is very irregular at times being badly bunched at various periods through the day. This is to be expected with new men, many of whom are strangers in the city.
———-
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SOURCE & IMAGES
The Labor Chronicle
The Working Man’s Paper
-Official Organ of the Trades and Labor Council
(Leavenworth, Kansas)
-Jan 10, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/488974073/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/488974067
SOURCES
History of the Labor Movement in the United States, Vol. 8
Postwar Struggles, 1918-1920
-by Philip S. Foner
(search: “Thomas H West”)
https://books.google.com/books?id=UMBWNCXcR8wC
The Pittsburg Headlight
(Pittsburg, Kansas)
-Jan 9, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/94684111/
The Kansas City Kansan
(Kansas City, Kansas)
-Jan 11, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/59436037/
See also:
For more on Thomas H West:
-search google using “Books”: “thomas h west” + labor. This will bring up his work in several labor journals as well as 1905 Proceedings of the American Federation of Labor. Sadly, it appears his labor poems were never gathered together into a single volume.
Tag: Kansas City Street Car Strikes of 1918-1919
https://weneverforget.org/tag/kansas-city-street-car-strike-of-1918/
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Casey Jones the Union Scab – Mark Ross
Lyrics by Joe Hill