Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-31
ANOTHER FIGHT LOST.
President Weihe Declares the Big
Strike at Steelton Illegal.
THOUSANDS OF DISGUSTED MEN
The Next Concessions Are Expected at the
VesuviuS Mill.
MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIAL ITEMS

President Weihe, of the Amalgamated AS
sociation, yesterday rendered a decision that
the big strike at Steelton was illegal, and
that the men there must go back Mt the COM
pany's terms, if the latter desires to take
them. To say that the men are disgusted is
putting it mild. They swear vengeance on
the association and are deploring their fate.
President Bent has said he is willing to take
back the men only on condition that they
renounce the association, and, knowing
these facts, they claim to be at loss to know
how President Weihe would deliberately
tell them they must return to work.
However, it turns out now that the
claim made by Organizer Jones, to the effect
that President Weihe had authorized him
to present the scale at Steelton, was q mis-
take. When he came here two weeks ago to
talk with President Weihe, he told the latter
that the men ut Steelton were clamoring for
authority to demand the firms signature to
the scale.
THE CHARGES THAT ARE MADE.
When he returned to Steelton, it is alleged
that he in some way gave the men a wrong
understanding of the situation, believing he
could precipitate n strike and win, inde-
pendent of the association. The error has
been discovered. but at too late an hour to
prevent trouble between the Amalgamated
Zation at SteeltOn.
As the matter stands now from 400 to 900
have lost their positions. The men are
especially bitter against Vice President Gal
lagher, of the Amalgamated Association,
who, they assert, encouraged them to strike
and promised them financial aid, knowing
at the time that such action was illegal, and
they openly state that his action was the
outcome of his Jealousy of the national Of
flcials located in Pittsburg. They threaten
that If Gallagher goes to Steelton again they
will duck him in the canal. This bitterness
is felt by all strikers, regardless of their af-
hliation with the Amalgamated Association.
The laborers who struck are m the worst
positions. Their earnings were small, few
had any money laid by and their places i'll
the mills were easily f1lled although the
strike has lasted less than Il week, many of
them were brought to the verge of starva-
tion.
Yesterday four families of Hungarians who
were evicted from tho company's houses,
were removed to the Poor Farm, as they had
DO means of subsistence. Over 800 Anal
gamated men met with President Weihe
and Vice President Gallagher in Harrisburg
yesterday morning After the strike e. had
declared it illegal, as it had not been au-
thorized by either the National Association
or the District Executive Board. The pro-
ceedings were brought to close by the
selection of Truman Heckert to act as n rep
resentative of the strikers and visit Presi-
dent Bent to arrange, if possible, for their
return to work.
EACH MAN MUST APPLY.
Major Bent refused to receive: the am
bassador, and each man will have to make
an individual application. AS President
Weihe and Vice President Gallagher left the
hall there were cries of Bah, ball. and
"There go the men who get the big salaries.
What do they care for the poor workmen at
Steelton?" After the meeting President
Weihe explained the position he had taken.
He said: 1T is the custom of evory steel
mill in the country to draw up their own
scale of prices for the ensuing year, but it
must be submitted to the General Board of
the National Association for approval. 1t
Is then sent back to the District Board for
their sanction, who then order the
scale to be presented to the proprie-
tors of the mill. Last March, while the
District Convention of the Amalgamated
Association was in session in Lebanon the
scale which was to govern the Pennsylvania
Steel Works was presented. The conven-
tion submitted it to the National Board. 1t
this district which approved it, but did not
think it advisable to present 1t to the officials
of the Pennsylvania Steel Company at
that time. The members of the Steelton Asso-
citation, however, were not satisfied with the
action of the Executive Board, as the officials
of the steel company were dischargfng
large number of employees who were mem
bers of the society,", and took upon them
scale.
"By doing this the steelton lodges COM
mitted an illegal act, rs the decision of the
Executive Board Is absolute from which
there Is no appeal. The men should have
continued at work as usual until the Ma
tional Executive Board ordered the scale to
be presented, and then ii the steel company
had refused to sign it q strike would have
been ordered and the men received recog
milton from the National Association. BY
taking the atfair in their own hands the
strike was illegal and the Executive Board
could and would not support them"
THE COMPANY WELL PLEASED.
The steel company officials express them
selves as pleased that the trouble is over,
but say that they could have operated their
mills under any circumstances. For several
days past the officials Of the steel company
have been overrun with applications for
work from their old employees. They had
succeeded in starting upa number of de-
partments which the strikers claimed could
not be run unlessa compromise was effected.
1t has been decided not to resume operations
in No. blooming and the rail mill ut pres
ent rs all the orders for heavy rails have
been transferred to their Sparrow's Point
plant.
AS a result of this, n large number of men
will be thrown out of employment for some
time. No. Bessemer mill was started up
this morning. and the first heat was blown
about 10 O'Clock. No. blooming mill was
also put in operation with full complement
of men. A night turn is now being organ
lied in the frog, switch and signal depart
ment and will start work next Monday
evening. The brickiayers are repairing No.
3 open-hearth furnace. and as soon Us it is
completed operation will be resumed in this
department also.
While the idea of n defeat CRATES upon the
ears of all the officials of the association,
there are those who are open in their state
ments that the result is one that was ex-
pected and that it was the only thing that
the men could do under the circumstances.
Vice President Sheehan said yesterday that
he knew the strike had been unauthorized,
and he said it was entirely unjust to criti-
else q mans actions which had been based
on his opinion of the law and the rules gov
erning the association.