Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-20
Taylor it is expected Judge Field will
not require much time to dispose Of
the case.
PROSPECTS FOR A STRIKE.
Condition in the Various
Cities Will Determine Whethel
h Men Will be Called Ont.

Local Condition in the Various
Cities VIII Determine Whether
h Men Will be Called Out.
CHICAGO, March 19.-Representa-
tives of the International Association
of Machinists said to-day that local
conditions in the various cities where
the machinists are dissatisfied will
govern the calling of a general strike.
The president, O'Connell, and his five
assistants, left tonight for the prin-
cipal centres of industry to confer with
their men before issuing orders to go
out. Cleveland, Philadelphia and Pat
erson, N. j., where the men are said
to be becoming restless under the de-
lay in the strike order, the leaders will
visit as soon as possible. President
OConnelI will be in Cleveland We'd
nesday and address a mass meeting of
the machinists the same night. In
that city the leaders are afraid the
men will go out on a strike without an
official order.
Hopes are entertained by the union
men that the members Of the National
Metal Trades Association will recon-
slider their action of Saturday and ar
range another conference, but it is
doubtful if the manufacturers will
agree to another meeting.
AS estimated by President O'Connell,
1S5, 900 machinists will be affected by a
national strike. In the New England
States there are $4,000 men working at
the trade and it is expected this sec
ton of the country will be the battle
ground. When Mr.. O'Connell returns
to Chicago from Cleveland, he will
leave Immediately for the East and
probably direct matters from New
York or Boston. The leaders say the
strike will extend only to the factor
les and shops which manufacture min
ing, pumping, electric and printing
machinery.
Railroad shops will not be included at
present, nor will large corporations such as
the steel companies and the harvester and
reaper works, the plow factories, the bicy-
Gle factories and possibly shipbuilding.
In many of the cities where strikes are
threatened, there are firms which have
contracts with the unions and these will
be lived up to whether or not strikes are
called.
For strike benefits and other expenses of
a great strike the International Association
of Machinists has a fund of SIS, 900, which
has always been kept in reserve in the
national treasury for emergency use, and
] a reserve fund of $4,000 in the various
local treasures. In addition to this the
officers of the organization are empowered
to levy assessments. For strike benefits
the constitution provides that single men
are to be paid 81 a week and married men
and single men with others dependent up
oil them for support IS a week,
CLEVELAND, O., March 19.-John D..
Ferguson, business agent of the local ma
chinists' union, and vice president of the
International Association of M~achinists,
said tonight that no orders to strike had
been received from Chicago. The move
ment here he said, lis independent of
any in Chicago. The men simply demand
a nine-hour day and ~non-union as well
as union men are in 1t. There is no ques-
ton of the recognition Of the union and if
our demand is granted there will be no
strike. There are about two thousand ma
chinists in Cleveland"