Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-08-14
THEIR CALL FOR HELP.
The Executive Council Of the Amer
lean Federation
OF LABOR HAS ISSUED A CALL ON
Behalf of the Men Who Are Now
on Strike at the Mills Of the
Carnegie Company-A State
ment Of the Conditions Leading
Up to the Trouble and Sur
rounding the Affair at Present.
The Strikers Feel Better Since
the Big Mass Meeting.

PITTsBURG, PA, August 13.-The
conference between the Amalgamated
Association, and the Executive Council
OF the American Federation, ended this
evening. President Gompers and 9TH
ers Of the Federation, have gone East.
Before their departure, the Conference
issued the following statement:
To the american Public:
Seldom in the history Of our country
have we witnessed the lines Of battle go
clearly drawn upon the field Of labor as
is now witnessed at Homestead. The
Carnegie Steel COmpany-one OF the
most gigantic monopoies OF the age
has undertaken to reduce the wages OF
their employees from ten to forty per
cent.
In their desperation and avarlce they
hired and brought 800 armed mer-
cenaries, Pinkerton Detectives, to
Homestead TO invade the homes Of the
men who created the millions that the
Carnegies now possess. Under cover OF
the Pinkertons the Company endeavored
TO introduce pauperized and degraded
set OF laborers TO supplant our fellow
American workmeu.
The contest with the PlnkertonS and
its results are well known. 80 many er-
roneous and false statements have been
published as to tho cause for which the
men are so nobly contending, their con-
| duct during the struggle, the present
| situation, and their prospects or VIC
tory, that we feel called upon to Issue
| this statement to the American public.
1t is not true, that that the men are
receiving the high wages generally sup
posed, nor do large number own
their homes. We have made careful
investigation, and find that just before
the lockout there were 3,42l employed
in the mills. OF this number there
were 13, whose wages averaged about
$3.50 per day, 46 averaged
between S. and 81 per day; 81 averaged
from 81 to S5 per day; LILY averaged
81. .6s to 50. so per day and ,625received
| IA cents per hour, or less. Further; we
| find eight to ten per cent. own their
homes and about IS per cent. more have
their homes under pportgage; the re-
malnder pay ront, aI,d number OF
these have beer s1.et6d by the Car
negies.
It is not true that the men are only
defending the wages OF the higher
priced workmen. 1t is In defense OF
! the fourteen cents per hour men as
much as any other that the Homestead
workmen are making their gallant fight.
The cunning, calculating company
proposed that the scale should terminate
when the cold blasts OF winter pene-
trate with biting severity. The COM
pany desired to place the men In the
disadvantageous position Of negotiating
with them upon new scale in January,
! instead Of as formerly, in July.
Notwithstanding the military forces
OF the State OF Pennsylvania have been
| under arms at Homestead for nearly
| five weeks, and the entire country has
been ransacked to find beings so low as
to hire themselves to the company,
there are fewer than 600 persons in the
mills, and fewer than dozen skilled
workmen who can perform the work re-
quired. The situation is such we conf
IDENTIFY assert that at no time during the
struggle were the prospects OF victory
so bright as they are now.
What the men in this contest need is
your substantial support as we'll as your
sympathy. The poorer paid men in
| Homestead and other Carnegie mills,
where the men are now out to help their
brothers at Homestead, are the ones
who need your immediate help, and
money is required to maintain their
manhood, honor and interests.
Every worker and liberty-loving citi-
sen should contribute to the financial
support OF the brave men who to-day
occupy the position OF the advance
guard Of the labor movement OF Amer
| lea.
The struggle at Homestead repre-
sents the issue between freedom and
slavery, progress and reaction, and
must be maintained until the workmen
have some fair measure Of recognition
from the Carnegies.
We assure you that every dollar con-
tributed will be devoted to the men en-
gagged in this contest. An effective
system of relief has been organized with
proper safeguards and every cent will
be economically expended and rigidlY
accounted for. We advise all working
men not TO come to Homestead or Pitts
burg for employment until the pending
DISPUTE with the Carnegie Steel Compa-
ny is settled.
Send all contributions to VIM. Weihe,
President of the Amalgsmated Associa-
tiop of Iron and Steel Workers, sig
Sm;thfeld street, Pittsburg, Pa, and
notify Thomas J. Crawford, Box 1876,
Homestead, Pa,
Eratarpallv
SAMUEL GoNfPERs,
p. J. MCGUIRE,
WIN. A. CARNEY,
JOIN B. LENNON,
CHRIS. EVANS,
Executive Council American Fedora
ton of Labor.
WIN. WEIHE,
STEPHEN MADDEN,
NJ NJ. GARLAND,
Amalgamated Association.
HUGH O'DoNNELL,
JOHN MCLUCKIE,
THOMAS J. CRAWFORD,
DAVID LYNCH,
For the Advisory Committee.
Assaulted by Strikers.
|, PrrTsBURG, PA, Augugt 1.-two
workmen named ,Teemer, brothers Of the
oarsman, were assaulted by strikers
while on their way to work at the Upper
Union mills this morning. The police
were attracted by the noise Of the
| fight and the assailants, six In number,
-. 49, .o,IH IA aspnatad Tba