The sun., 1901-07-17

declared, nor b one likely 10 be callsd d
present, Charles n Gchwsb visited j
Pierpont Morgan Yesterday forenoon
subsequently, Mr.. Schwab said that sx'
cept for casual references tho strike wa
not discussed. 1t 10 understood that II
tho course OF day or two q statcmen
will be issued explaining clearly the posi-
ton Of the companies.
Mr.. schwab got away from town shortly
after 4 o'clock yesterday Afternoon
and by 4 O'Clock tho Steel offices In the
Empire and Battery Park buildings were
almost deserted. A man Of high authority
In the affairs Of the Steel Corporation said
Despite the persistent report from
Pittsburg anticipating conferences here,
there have been no such meetings. nor
Is there anything In the existing circum.
the part OF the employers. Seemingly,
the leaders Of the union have the impress
sion that we have been taken by surprise.
On the contrary when our representa-.
tives at Pittsburg last week rejected the
demands Of the labor men we knew what
would follow. Days before Mr.. Shaner
had presented his ultimatum to Us. We
were aware that the decision We gave to
the Amalgamated Association last Satur'
day would mean q strike.
Until the strikers approach US with
Q view to a settlement there will be no
regular meeting called. We have not the
slightest misgiving a. to the end OF the
trouble. Public opinion "a not on tho
side Of the strikers. and moreover the
strike could not have come at more favor
able moment for US. We have for some
ttxxSn tho adviaa-
bility OF shutting down some OF the mills
In order to make needed changes In the
plants but We disliked having TO lay OF
a large body Of men. even Temporarily.
without pay. This strike will enable US
to carry out our plans without having
our purposes misconstrued
Mr. Shafer Is reported as saying that
tho motive back Of tho strike Is not de.
sire to unionize the steel mills controlled
union men from discrimination In dull
times. He makes the inference that 4
there was not sufilcient work to keep all
the plants In operation. all tho available
work would be given to the non-unionists
because they could be put upon lower
wages without violating the scale.
Mr.. shaher y endeayoring to throw dust
into the eyes Of the public. The American
steel trade was never In more prosperous
TO keep every mill in operation until at
least. when the time comes round again.
20 consider another years scale OF wages.
There ID no justification whatever for Mr..
Skaters suggestion Of discrimination. He
makes use Of II In the effort to bolster up
bad position The non-union men receive
the same rate OF pay as the organized work.
mon. And 1t Is understood by the nom
unionists that they will continue to receive
the same scale as the unionsts. OF what
advantage. then. would IL be TO us to dis.
criminate? To seek to lower the rate OF
non-union pay would be an act Of bad faith
on our part. We had no intention Of fight.
ing the union. We have never molested
the organization, and have always treated
Its members with exactly the same con-
alteration as the men employed at non
1T Is implied by Mr.. Shafrer that the
non-unionlsts are under contract with US
to keep aloof from the union. Contracts
OF this kind are voluntarily made. but IL
is Mr.. Skaters avowed purpose to break
up such agreements. What would Mr.
ShafYer and his followers say II we ex-
pressed an intention to break up the unlon1
But 80 far from being antagonistic TO
the union we have always been willing
to meet its representatives, and the very
fact that there rs no question Of wages or
hours Of labor In the present troubles
demonstrates plainly that the unionists
have no real grievance, and that we have
never Disseminated against them.
These, however. are merely side Ques-
tions put forth by the strikers to cloud
the real issue. The admitted aim Of the
Amalgamated Association "a to unionize
all the steel workers OF the country by hav-
Ing the agreement between the companies
and the association apply also to the inde-
pendent mills. This would mean that the
non-unionists would have 10 join the organ
ization. " this demand had been granted
there would have been no future for our
steel manufacturers. The whole fight turns
upon the right OF the employers to keep a
controlling influence over their own inter-
ests We were called upon In fact to sur
render the management OF our business
to the labor leaders. We shall continue
to resist this imposition. as well as the
assumption on the part Of the organization
OF power to dictate to non-union men,
no matter how long the strike lasts.
The Or obablity Is that tho strike vii
not be Q protracted one. The vast ma
jority Of the men will not be content TO
lose the benefits Of the prosperity which
"a no opening for arbitration because the
men have no real grievances. You cannot
arbitrate upon proposal to give away
ones business 10 an employee simply be-
cause that individual thinks II would be
TO his personal advantage TO have the man.
aRement OF It."
In a private despatch received in Wall
Street from Chicago yesterday John LAM
bert, ex-President Of the American Steel
and Wire Company. was quoted as say
ESQ far as the strike at some OF the steel
mills Is concerned l think II will be for
gotten in very few days: At best 1t only
Affects a few mills. All the remainder
OF the mills Of the United States Steel Cor
poration are at work. and as they have
all the business they can take care OF for
the balance Of the year. cannot see how
the company generally Is going to be af-
fected much on account OF the shutting
down of these mills even for an indefinite
period. l am still as much OF believer
In United States Steel as ever. The Col
orado Fuel and Iron Company Is In no way
affected by the present strike"