The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-07-19
Sympathetic Strikes Are Now on in Many of the
Non-Union Mills.
VAST ARMY OF STRIKERS REACHES 74,OOO
All Sections Country Show
That More Are Being Added This
fer Shows No Symptoms Of Backing His Final
Declaration &C ravity of Situation Dawnins on Trust

the company is watching closely ali
such movements.
| Employees In National tube works of
the National Tube company, at Nc.
Keesport, another of the constituent
companies OF the great steel corpora.
tton. and numbering between 1000
and 4,500, were granted a 10 per cent
advance in all departments. This ad.
vance affects all forms CT labor in the
tube plant, skilled and common, and
went into effect Immediately.
| Several months ago the men Of the
McKees port plant of the National
Tube company asked for a 10 per cent
/ advance, which at that time was re.
fused. Deemlng the strike in the tin.
sheet and hoop works most aus.
picious occasion to again present their
demands, the tube workers have been
quietly preparing to take advantage
Df the opportunity as soon as 1t should
present itself.
The opportunity came Monday
morning. Last week committee
was selected from the various depart
ments of the plant, and Monday
morning 1t called upon Manager
George Cra awford and insisted upon
the 10 per cent advance demanded
some time ago. Mr.. Crawford was
unable to give the men an immediate
pnswer but they were gone from his
office only short time when the Of
t1cials gave out statement that the
increase would be granted, to go into
effect July Is.
Mckeesport Plant Important.
The McKeesport plant Is one Of the
most important of those controlled by
the National Tube company. The
works have been non-union ever since
the memorable strike of 1892 follow
ing the strike at Homestead. and for
a time threatening to rival that affair
in riot and bloodshed. The Amalga-
mated association since the time has
been unable to obtain foothold in
the McKeesport Tube works. owing
largely to the energy displayed by the
officials.
The men have made several efforts
to have their wages increased, but
until now their requests have been
either met by shutdown in one or
more departments or a refusal to con.
cede or confer on the differences.
When President T. J. Shaffer, OF
the Amalgamated association, was in
formed of the granting Of the advance
to the McKeesport tube workers, he
said: 81 anticipated such action on
the part Of the manufacturers, and
have warned our men to guard against
being blinded by such dust-throwing
methods. The tube men in McKees-
port are unorganized. and this al.
vance, coming with tn beginning Of
the strike Of the employees of the
three companies with which we are
at issue, is an indication that the
steel corporation appreciates the
strength Of the Amalgamated asso-
citation, and is trying to thwart its
growth and aims by such means as
have been adopted in McKeesport. l
expect that similar advances will be
given to the men in other works OF
the United States Steel corporation
that have not been affected by the
strike order, in the hope that the
workers may refuse to come out
should we decide to extend the strike
to all the plants Of the corporation.
Says He Thinks Scheme viii Fail.
"But | do not think the scheme will
succeed. The men, both organized
and unorganized, have been educated
on the vital issues involved in the
present struggle, and have been IN
structed as to the insidious traps that
Will be set to catch them unawares.
| do not, Of course, object to the
workers accepting the advances prof.
Tered, provided they do not come In
the form OF bribes for the injury of
their fellow men, but at the same
time | wish to point out that to make
the advance permanent they will have
to organize. The history of the Nc
Keesport Tube works Is that advances
have been granted only to meet
emergencies, such as the present. for
instance, and as soon as the matter
OF expedlency had been met the ad-
vance was Topped off, with oftentimes
an additional cut to make up for the
increase that had been given to the
;aen. The knowledge OF these meth.
DDS that have been adopted in the
past to defeat the ends of the work
ers, as we'll as the fact that II there
were not trouble threatening for the
entire steel corporation the McKees-
port demand would have been as per-
emptorily refused today as 1t was
some months ago, should be sufficient
indication and warning to the men
that IL they would insure the perma-
nency OF better wages and better con
ditions to themselves 1t behooves
them to get into the band wagon Of
the Amalgamated association"
Wages Raised at Another Plant.
At Monessen, In the only non-union
mill of the American Tin Plate com.
pany notices were posted about the
building notifying their men that the
company had granted them a volun-
tary advance In wages. The advance
was said to be 10 per cent to tho
heeters and catchers and per cent
to the rollers.
"7' steeeI Trust Firm. E
View York. July 16.-A representa-