Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-08-18
LEAeUED LABOR.
Mill Committees Considered From
Both Standpoints.
The Manufacturers and Why They Oppose
Thsm-Secetay Martin Says They are
la Escessib-aesut Of the Iron Man
ufaeturer's Meeting-No Pros
poets Of Compromise.
NOTES FROM ALL SECTIONS.

PIrrSBURG, August 17.-If the question is
asked of Pittsburgh, or any other iron
manufacturer, What is the most objec-
tionable feature in the Amalgamated Assc-
citation" the gentleman so addressed will
reply:
at is the part taken by the mill commit
tee If We can't have the privilege of dis
charging an incompetent or Objectionable
workman without having to endure the in
vestigations and rulings oi mill commit
tee, we shall close our mills and eventually
have to quit our business or run wholly in
dependent of the Amalgamated Union"
The head of one of the Oldest and best
known iron mills in this city was asked to,
Give more specifically his objections to the
mill committee. Sid he:
at is easily done. Suppose you are
workman. a roller for instance in our mill
YOu get drunk or careless and break roll
or spoil lot of valuable iron.
IDiseharge IOu. -
That ought 10 be the peroSative Of the pro-
prietor Of that mill whose cspital, LIES
fabor and reputation are all embodied in
the mill and its prodsct; but the trouble
helms at this point. The mill committee
comes to the office to investigate the cause
of that yorkman's discharge. Ii he is
TsefnI man in the Union, if he has infu-
Snce therein, the discharge is annulled and
we have to take that man back or our mill
is closed by a strike. That is the whole
thing in a nutshell
SECRETARY Martiu.
EWith this as a starting point President
Jarrett was hunted up. He had Just left
his office for McKeesport and Secretary
Martin was presented lwith the iacts set
forth above, and asked for the union side
OF the mill committee anu us oPeraIons'
said this official:
while | do not care to give expression
m the denunciatiOn of the mill committee
Won refer to. will say this: The mill CONF
mittee is an absolute necessity III the con-
duct of the Union; to do away with 1t, as is
doubtless proposed by some manufacturers,
is out of the question. To abolish II means
/ IN abolish the Union aud the protection 1t
/ throws about labor. But | will say further
that during the ChicSgO convention special
attention was paid 10 this subject, and GER
rain changes were made in the appointment
and duties of the mill committee. Its num-
her was increased from three to five men
in each mill, to three from each depart
[ ment. Its scope OF operations was modl-
fed and CHANGED in other ways. More
than this am not at liberty to state at
The sction of the Mill Committee evi.
IDENTIFY closed the Helmbacher Forge and
Iron Company's works ut st. Louis. Gan
YOU give me the
Details ofthe TroubIe:"
Mr.. Martin thought he could, but on
looking over pile OF freshly arrived re-
ports failed TO find the proper one. he
was asked whether report OF their Chicago
doings or a copy of the revised constitution
had been given to any iron manufacturer:
No, there has not" was the reply. "All
these cOurteSies cannot come from our
side The manufacturers promised to
send US a copy Of the bylaws and constitu-
ton of their new association. They have
never done So Had this been done we
should have been glad to reeiprOcate.
Two iron men were found in a comfort
able office, few minutes after Mr.. Mar
tins presence was quilted. The question
was asked:
Can you tell me what part the mill COM
mittee played in the HelmbachCy trouble
We can. Here is copy OF letter read
al the meeting Yesterday by Mr.. Weeks,
who received it from the firm in question:
ST LOUIS, August Is, 1882.
"L D. Hcsks, Esq.,, PiHsJwg:
DEAR SIR-In relation to our troubles,
we have this 10 say: When our puddlers
refused tO sign the Cincinnati agreement,
rs our rollers and heaters have already
done. We were obliged to buy muck iron.
The puddlers refused to work this, and
were discharged. The mill committee ask
ed us to reinstate them, and We refused,
closing our mill and putting up the follow
| ing notices.
These notices have already been mads
public, They virtually declared the firm
Us arrayed against the union in every par
tiCular
The other gentleman, one of the oldest
manufacturers in the city had this TO say:
Il do not wish to be regarded as opposed
to the union, for believe that if vote was
to be taken in this city, two.thirds OF the
iron manufacturers in this city would de-
eide in favor of the Amalgamated union.
Lut wish to give you some instances of
the evils Of the mill committee"
The speaker continued at length. hold
ing that il was impossible for the commit
lee as at present constituted and empow-
cred TO decide fairly and impartially the
merits or dCmerits of case of summary
| discharge. In his experience in one wear
eighteen rolls had been broken, and as each
hr ak meant $3.50 lOSSs, the matter could
not be borne. 1t was clearly provable that
drunkenness on the part of the boss roller
had been the cause, but the difficulty in
getting union witnesses to what they knew
Of the shortCOming of fellow workman
proved an obstacle that was well nigh in
surRounta table, and that led to such a con-
dIuon OF affairs that eventually the firm
ame out against the union, and to-day is
! running with nOn-union men
Inc second gentleman had another point
to advance against the rulings of the mill
committee. 1t was in respect to their pow.
er TO limit the
Product of the Furnaces
He quoted the case of an Ohio mill now
running nOn-uuiOn men, in which the
! produCt-wlth the same force, same num-
Der OF furnaces and same material-was in
one year p per cent. greater than when
, operated by union men.
Other cases were cited, going 70 show to
the unbisSed mind that if the Chicsgo Con-
Yentlon had done anything calculated to
limit the power of the mill committee. a
long step has been taken in the RIGHT direc.
ton, and which must lead to the greatest
good-good feeling where now much bitter
ness exists.
The eManufaetnrers Meeting.
Considering that the meeting of the iron
men yesterday was attended by most of the
fraternity west of the Allegheny noun
talnS, and that the session lasted from 10 A.
n to P. n, the result made public is ex-
meagre. None of the gentlemen present
seemed willing to talk of the transactions
ot the aSSemblage, and Secretary Weeks
pare outline was the only consolation ac.
corded to reporters. Mr.. Weeks stated in
general way that the strike had received
com mparstlyely little attention. All pres.
eht ne said, were as positive as ever that
Sne refusal to grant the advances demanded
oE the Amalsamsted Association must he
sanered sinna 70; those who have resumed opera
1ons with non.union men reported that
the result Of the experiment had eycaadsJ
aheir expectations, and, on the whole such
ShAhlmlty prevailed that it had not been
Ueeueu necessary to take vote on the
Continued Resistance.
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