ganized employers stood back of the restaurant owners, in sympathy
with them and willing to aid them if they dared. And at the back of the
Cooks' and Waiters' Union stood the organized labor of the city, 40,000
strong. If a business man was caught patronizing an "unfair" restaurant,
he was boycotted; if a union man was caught, he was fined heavily by his
union or expelled. The oyster companies and the slaughter houses made an
attempt to refuse to sell oysters and meat to union restaurants. The
Butchers and Meat Cutters, and the Teamsters, in retaliation, refused to
work for or to deliver to non-union restaurants. Upon this the oyster
companies and slaughter houses acknowledged themselves beaten and peace
reigned. But the Restaurant Bakers in non-union places were ordered out,
and the Bakery Wagon Drivers declined to deliver to unfair houses.

Every American Federation of Labor union in the city was prepared to
strike, and waited only the word. And behind all, a handful of men,
known as the Labor Council, directed the fight. One by one, blow upon
blow, they were able if they deemed it necessary to call out the
unions--the Laundry Workers, who do the washing; the Hackmen, who haul
men to and from restaurants; the Butchers, Meat Cutters, and Teamsters;
and the Milkers, Milk Drivers, and Chicken Pickers; and after that, in
pure sympathy, the Retail Clerks, the Horse Shoers, the Gas and
Electrical Fixture Hangers, the Metal Roofers, the Blacksmiths, the
Blacksmiths' Helpers, the Stablemen, the Machinists, the Brewers, the
Coast Seamen, the Varnishers and Polishers, the Confectioners, the
Upholsterers, the Paper Hangers and Fresco Painters, the Drug Clerks, the
Fitters and Helpers, the Metal Workers, the Boiler Makers and Iron Ship
Builders, the Assistant Undertakers, the Carriage and Wagon Workers, and
so on down the lengthy list of organizations.

For, over all these trades, over all these thousands of men, is the Labor
Council. When it speaks its voice is heard, and when it orders it is
obeyed. But it, in turn, is dominated by the National Labor Council,
with which it is constantly in touch. In this wholly unimportant little
local strike it is of interest to note the stands taken by the different
sides. The legal representative and official mouthpiece of the
Employers' Association said: "This organization is formed for defensive
purposes, and it may be driven to take offensive steps, and if so, will
be strong e