We do not know how much Roche's financial interests in that villainous syndicate amounts to but his peculiar role as mediator makes him appear as a judge in his own matters.

It is only natural that quite a number of aldermen have been bought by the monopoly in order to cover his retreat in case of any trouble arising, and out of this security grew the Yerkes infamy as well as the surprising freshness of Mayor Roche. Based on this self-confidence the brutal stand of the police officers and their force towards the public can be explained.

Every citizen of Chicago has to admit that Roche showed himself to be in favor of the monopoly during the street car strike. Furthermore everybody must admit that he urged the strikers into that pitiable compromise into which, as it is now proven, they were so nicely sold.

And for this whole base swindle the representatives of the bourgeoisie and workers of this city express their thanks to the lackeys of the monopoly. The real victor after all proved to be Yerkes. The fact alone that several hundreds of strikers were shut out for very hollow reasons proves this.

The pitiful compromise turned a very hopeful near-victory into a defeat.

The monopolists gained time meanwhile and through it ability to command the field. The fear of the strikers of being considered socialists or anarchists and marked as such played a big part in the achievements of this sad result. This fear of being called socialist or anarchist has to be conquered by the people if they do not want to get trimmed over and over again on account of their prejudices.

How advantageously the Lake View authorities appear in comparison to those of Chicago. Yerkes sinned as much in Chicago as he did in Lake View. Nothing will happen to him and Lake View apparently is not strong enough to make him really serious difficulties.

The workers should learn out of the history of this strike that whatever one demands should be demanded in full, if it is just and reasonable. To give up a part of something demanded means to give up the whole matter entirely. At the present time a new outbreak of the strike would in our opinion only climax the defeat of the workers.