Mr. Howard: "No. I think the rule is to the contrary. We go no further than to request the men to quit work and to commit no violence."
Commissioner Kernan: "Is there any punishment for violation of that rule?"
Mr. Howard: "No. No organization has any power to punish a member for violation of such rule except by expulsion. We leave the punishment of such cases to the civil authorities."
Commissioner Kernan: "Don't you think some steps should be taken by labor unions to punish their members who violate the rules in that respect?"
Mr. Howard: "Yes, sir, I do, and we started out to do so here during the strike but the trouble assumed such vast proportions that it was impossible to do anything in that direction. In the case of the Great Northern strike we appointed committees to guard the company's property, and the men were instructed to shoot anyone found in the act of destroying same."
Commissioner Kernan: "What, as a rule has been your experience in strikes where violence was restored to?"
Mr. Howard: "The men have always been defeated."
Commissioner Kernan: "Then a resort to violence is rather detrimental to the cause of the strikers?"
Mr. Howard: "Decidedly so. We want public opinion with us in a strike."
Commissioner Kernan: "Do you know of any organization that disciplines its members for resorting to violence?"