Evening star., 1901-08-14
A GAME OF SEE-SAW
Strikers and Steel Trust Gain and
Lose Advantages.
TIE-UP COMPLETE AT MKEESPORT
Trust Starts Painter Mill, but 1t
Shuts Down Again.
THE GENERAL SITUATION

Special From a STAFF Correspondent
PITTSBURG, Pa, August 14-FollowinS
the efforts commenced last Monday to
reach basis for settlement of the strike.
and continued yesterday, direct cOmmuni-
cation has been opened between President
Schwab of the steel trust in New York and
Il self-appointed committee of Amalga-
mated men and labor leaders upon the sub
ject of terms. The leading member of the
committee is a vice president of the Anal
gamated Association, who has opposed
Shaffer's policy all along President Schwab
has been asked If the trust will take the
men back as union men if they can be in
auced to return at an early date. The
answer has come from New York that this
question will be considered.
Even If President Schwab agrees to the
proposition, the affair will not be settled,
for the reason that Shaffer is opposed to
the compromise He has been sounded, and
has set his face resolutely against any
thing like surrender. The negotiators have
not given up hope, however, and say that If
an agreement can be reached with Schwab,
the next move will be to carry the case to
the rank and file of the Amalgamated
membership, over the heads of Shaffer and
his executive board.
Strike is Gaining Ground.
In the meantime the strike is gaining
every day. The days additions to the
number of idle men aggregate about 5000,
and there has been no weakening of the
strike lines In this district. 1t is estimated
this morning that the output of the mills
of the steel trust has been reduced about
80 per cent by the strike. Another week
of the strike will materially swell the ranks
n f.
put will affect allied industries, such as the
coal and coke trades, the pig iron furnaces,
the ore handlers and the tranSporta ton
lines.
Shaffer Is Vindictfve.
President Shaffer of the Amalgamated
Association is very vindictive against the
western members of the association who
refused to join his strike and is threaten
ing to drive them out of the association.
The trust representatives here are fervent-
ly praying that he will do so. He could not
render the trust a greater service than to
expel the western lodges. In that action
he would make the mills of the Federal
Steel Company non-union, a consummation
most devoutly desired by the trust If the
men were thus driven out of this branch of
organized labor they would never be per-
mitted by the mill owners to join another
1t is said that the establishment of a free
zone in Illinois and Indiana may be follow
ed Immediately by the removal of mills
from this section, where union labor is
strong.
Another mill is to be taken away from
this district. The CHARTERS mill in the
Carnegie borough, having a weekly pay
roll of $1,000, has been ordered removed,
following the refusal of the strikers to go
TO work yesterday.
Political Phase of Strike.
1t is intmated this afternoon that there
Is possibility of the interposition of nation
al political managers in one branch of the
strike situation. 1t is said that pressure
is being brought to bear in that quarter to
cause the steel trust to be warned against
the wholesale removal Of mills from cities
and towns where the strikers are in the
ascendancy. storm of indignation has
arisen in Ohio against this method of war
fare adopted by the trust. Some politicians
have already sent warnings to headuuar-
ters that there is likelihood of unfavor-
able effect upon the republican campaign
in Ohio this fall. Thus far it has been
hands off with the national political man
ayers 1t is believed, however, that un-
questionably there will be some lively COM
munications between Cleveland and New
1ork II the game of the trust magnates
seems to threaten the labor vote of Ohio.
Events of the Morning.
The developments of the morning showed
the starting up of one of the striking mills
in Plttsburg and the coming out of another
big batch of men at Mckeesport The
Painter mill at Pfttsburg got under way
with reduced force of men about o'clock
without disturbance the strikers Offering
no resistance. The trusts representatives
here propose to go right ahead with efforts
10 start other mills in the city. Any man
who is willing to work, whether he is union
or non-uniOn. can get place at high wages
rated according to his skill.
The strikers are jubilant over the situa-
ton at McKeesport this afternoon, where
the big tube mill has finally been closed up
The mill was in operation all night, but
was In a badly crippled condition Men
and boys struck several times during the
night, but the mill was kept in operation
until 8 o'clock this morning. when the
night turn quit work. The day turn report-
ed for duty at o'clock this morning and
the employees went into the MILL but at 7:3O
a. m. came out In a body. They were ouiet
and orderly and there was no demonstra-
tion. Some remained about the mill and
discussed the situation with the strikers
who had assembled near the plant.
Streets Crowded With Strikers.
The majority of the men went home, but
the streets are crowded with strikers. Ev-
cry department of the big tube mill is idle
Between 5000 and 4,OOO employees came out
this morning, and the total number of men
and boys now on strike in McKeesport Is
between 1900 and 1900.
"A great many Of the skilled workers in
the tube mill are members OF the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor The plant en-
ploys between 7,0O0 and 5000 men and
boys.
The strikers claimed another advantage
this afternoon, when the Painter mill
which started up this morning, closed
N. O. NJ
RUMORS OF SETTLEMENT,
Both Sides Said to He Tired of the
Strike.