Richmond planet., 1901-04-20
THE Big STEEL TRUST,
May Soon Be at War With Half a
Million Strikers.
THE CONTEST AT MKBBsPoRT.

~ Ia said to be But the Preliminary
skirmish in n Battle For RecoKni-
tion Which the AmaIgamated As
sOeiatIon WIN wage.
Pittsburg, April 1.-THE strikers at
the Wood plant of the American Steel
company, at McKeesport, secured ac-
cessions to their ranks yesterday by
the I25 men in the knobling depart
ment joining them. This leaves only
the steel mill and the hammer depart
ments at work, and they will continue
in operation until the work now in pro-
Eress is finished, when the shutdown
will be complete.
The officials of the company stated
yesterday that applications for employ
ment were coming in rapidly. 1t was
stated that 73 applications were receiv-
ed Monday, but the applicants were
informed that no definite answer would
be given them for several days.
An official very close to the manage
ment of the company said today that it
is the intention of the company to close
down the McKeesport plant for an in
definite period. The present is not an
II,
owing to the transitory state OF the
company's future policy, caused by it's
absorption by the United States Steel
corporation
1t was further stated that the nom
union plants OF the company were pro-
ducing 45 per cent of the tonnage of the
combination, and that no serious in
convenience would result to the trade
by the suspension OF the union sheet
mills.
President T. j. Shaffer, OF the Anal
gamated Association, stated today that
the workers were driven to the stand
they have taken by not one, but many
acts OF bad faith on the part of the
Sheet Steel company. He said: 1.-The
AFFAIR in McKeesport is not the only
trouble existing between the American
Sheet Steel company and the Amalga-
mated Association Of Iron, Steel and
Tin Workers. At the last general con-
ference, when the scale was signed for
this year, we tried to secure the sign
Ing OF the scale for all the mills they
control. and pointed out to them that
II they refused to sign for all great
losses would be sntailed and trouble
ensue upon our attempt to organize
non-union mills"
President Shaffer, at a meeting of
the national advisory board of the
Amalgamated Association today. urged
the immediate closing OF all plants of
the American Steel company In the
country and the question is now be-
Ing discussed. If the general strike is
ordered 1t will involve soc, 900 work
men.
Secretary Jarrett, in charge of the
labor bureau Of the company, was pres
ent at this meeting to present the COM
pany's side Of the matter and use every
endeavor to avert q general strike. If
the statement credited to the company
that the McKeesport plant will be
closed indefinitely rather than recoe-
nize the union is adhered to President
Shaffer's attitude will demand that the
entire strength of the Amalgamated
Association be pitted against the sheet
company as a whole. 1t is not known
whether Mr.. Jarrett made any pledges
on behalf of the company.
The fate of the Amalgamated Asso-
clatIon practlcally rests Oh the out
come Of this conflict, for which the
labor officials have been preparing. The
Wood plant has been non-union for
20 years, and on account of this was Sc
lectsd as the first battle ground. With
the launching Of the big steel trust the
Amalgamated officials took every
means to strengthen their position, and
at present the organization Is stronger
numerically and financially than for
many years. While pursuing this pol
Icy the trouble at McKeesport was pre-
cipitatsd. The work OF organization
at the McKeesport department contin-
ues, and large accessions to the ranks
OF the organized workers have been
made in the past few days and con-
tinue.