Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-06
| ADVISERS CALLED IN.
The National Council of the Fedora
ti0n of Labor at Homestead.
DID NOT DECLARE A BOYCOTT.
Tho Seeding Finishers Cause Uncompli.
mentary Comments
CURRENT EVENTS IN LABOR CIRCLES

The Executive Council of the American
Federation of Labor met in this city yester-
day. 1t consisted of President Samuel
Gompers, Secretary Chris Evans and Treas
urer John B. Lennon. They arrived on an
early train from New York City, and went
Immediately to the headquarters Of the
Amalgamated Association. They went into
consultation with the officers of that organi-
zation, and discussed the Homestead strike
and the present condition of affairs until
noon.
In the afternoon. in company with ex-
President VIM. Weighe and other officials OF
the association, they went to Ho mestead
and addressed the locked-out men at their
usual Saturday meeting. On their return
to this city another conference was held
with the Amalgamated officials. They left
for New York on the evening train.
Sizing Up the Situation.
The officers of the Federation of Labor
had come here on special invitation of the
Amaigamated Association to confer and
size up the situation, and if possible adopt
some means of bringing the present strug-
gle to close. The relations of the Anal
gamated Association and Federation have
been of the friendliest during the present
struggle and they have been acting con-
jointly to bring the Homestead fight to a
successful close.
President Gompers when asked last night
as to the object of his visit and the prob
able result of the conference between the
officers of the two organizations, said: 'I
am simply here to look over the ground
and see if there is any change in the lock-
out at Homestead. There is no significance
to be attached to the visit, and we have only
the power to advise and recommend what is
considered as the best course to be pursued.
was warmly received at Homestead, and
there expressed my views on the situation,
80 that it is needless to repeat them here.
found little apparent change from my
former visit, and must say the men are
making remarkable fight Each one seems
to be actusted with sufficient determination
to never give in.
No Change of Programme Adopted.
mo do not think there will be any
change of plan adopted as result of the
conference to-day. The men deny that
there has been any desertions, and I had to
take their word, as was not on the ground
long enough to find out, but from appear
ances there is no indications of any return
any of the departments return it would be
a serious blow to the others who are bravely
holding out. The mechanics are said to be
considering the advisability of going back
to work, but / do not think they will.
GAS to the effect of the finishers FORM
ing new union, AM inclined to think the
movement will fall through. As it is, they
are pursuing a very peculiar course to say
the least, in trying to secede at this time.
They have never notified the old order
that they were going to leave it. Then
again, why didn't they wait until the end
of the time when the present scale would
expire, and go about the formation of a
union in a manly way? But 1
loyalty of the men to the Amalgamated to
believe that they will leave it now. Should
they do so, however, and the fnishers
form a separate union that would be sue
cesstul, it would be blow to organized
labor, as both would surely lose by the
move. Men work against their own in
terests to separate at the present time and
my wish would be that they stay together.
Doesn't Like the Treason Charges.
'I find, however, that the men are keenlv
feeling the way they are being treated in
the cases against them. They do not find
fault with the law, but in the way it is
being administered. consider the cases of
treason a travesty on justice, and if it were
not for their serious nature would be in
clined to treat them lightly. But 1t seems
the most will be made of the cases, and are
giving the Homestead men some trouble.
1 find this to be evident and as the time
draws near 1 believe it will be more So"
MI. Gompers refused to discuss politics,
saying that the Federation was a nom parti-
san political body and that he did not want
to say anything on the subject
In the conference the declaring of boy
colt on the product of the Carnegie mills
was discussed. but no action was taken.
The opinion of some of the members present
was expressed afterward, and they believed
that no boycott would be declared. Though
no decisive action was apparently agreed
upon, the conference is considered as sig
nificant What move will be made next Is
not known, but it is probable that some
thing will be done in short time that will
bring this long drawn struggle to q close.