The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-08-15
Great Labor Organization Decides
to Support the Steel
Strikers.
GOMPERs ISSUES MANIFESTO
Declares the Federation OF Labor VIII DO
Everything in Its Power to Aid steel
strtkers-Trust to Dismantle
S5,ooO,OOO Plant.

strike situation yesterday. The United
States Steel corporation issued a per-
emptory order directing that the great
Devices Wood plant at Mckeesport be
dismantled and removed from the
k1SklnenetaS valley. President Com
pers, of the American Federation of
Labor. after a two days conference
with President Shaffer and his associ
ateS, issued a formal statement last
night specifically pladging the fedora
zion to the moral and financial support
of the Amalgamated association. His
written review Of the train of events
leading up to the industrial quaa:rel
sustains the course of the Amaga-
mated association, and declares that
nothing remains for labor but to bat
tie for the cause of unionism.
The official announcement Of the or
der to dismantle the Devices Wood
plant came in the afternoon. Persifer
F. Smith, district manager Of the Amer
lean Sheet Steel company, made the
formal announcement. The publication
of the order was a great surprise, and
McKeesport received it first with doubt.
Actual preparations We're made later In
the day for the diSrnantling of the mill,
and there is little doubt that it will be
torn down and taken apart, piece by
piece. The strikers heard the order in
d
that it showed the steel corporation
was convinced that it could not re-
open the plant in the face of the oppo-
sition of the Amalgamated association.
Strike leaders here said the order was
bluff that had been worked unsuccess-
fully before, and declined to take it Sc
riously. A representative Of the press
showed District Manager Smiths state
ment to President Shaffer, but after
reading it he declined to talk about it.
The steel officials declined to give any
reason for the order, but it is openely
stated here that the pronounced SYM
pathy Of citizens and city officials at
McKeesport with the strikers is re-
sponsible for it. 1t is also said that
the plant of the National Tube COM
pany at McKeesport will be abandoned
and the old plan for a tube plant at
Conneaut, O., revived.
The Devices Wood plant Is one of the
best known plants in Pennsylvania. It's
yards and mills cover between twelve
and fourteen acres; 1t has employed
1000 men at it's busiest times, and it's
cost is placed at s5,000,000.
Statement by Gompers.
President Gompers, of the American
Federation of Labor last evening gave
out the following statement:
I'VE unhesitatingly declare 1t our
judgment that the position Of the
Amalgamated association is absolutely
justified and essential to it's continu-
ance and effectiveness as union of
the workers in the trade, as well as
the protector of the rights and interests
of it's members.
TT is true that the ,Amalgamated as
ISOLATION In the first conferences asked
that the United States Steel company
sign the union scale of wages for all
the mills operated, owned and con-
trolled by that company, but it is also
true that the request was withdrawn
and one substituted so that the union
scale would apply to those mills only
In which the members of the Amalga-
mated association are employed; in
other words, which are we'll known to
be union mills. This the United States
Steel company refused to concede, in
siSting that the scale should apply only
to those mills which were union last
year, even refusing to allow two mills
to be included which by a species Of
hectoring and systematic opposition Of
the company had become non union
during the year.
1T appears the company took the DO
sitlon 1T did with an avowal that it
would not allow the extension of the
union to non-unionists Such a posi-
ton and avoWal are tantamount to de-
claring that Notwithstanding the
growth of the craft, the organization
mad reached state beyond which it
could not extend.
organized labor advances or recedes;
1t never stands still. It therefore fol-
lows that If the trust, by it's great
wealth. can prevent the extension and
growth of the Amalgamated association
1t encompasses it's disintegration and
destruction. The only power then
standing between the trust and workers
as Il protector are the tender mercies of
Its directors. Against such calamity
the sense of justice and humanity re-
volts, and we solemn]y protest.
We shall stand by the Amalgamated
association in the present conflict to
the full extent Of our power, both NOR
ally and financially; we shall aid in
every lawful way the men on strike,
or who may come out on strike to
maintain the workers in their right
to organize and the extension of their
organization, so that the only power
which stands for their protection and
advancement against the avarice OF
concentrated wealth may be perfected
and perpetuated.
THE fight of the brave Beers may
end in their undoing, but the spirit Of
justice, the love of freedom and right
suddenly looms up in another part Of
the world. These principles find lodp-
ment in the hearts Of other men, who
will carry on the battle until they are
enthroned in the conscience and every
day life Of all peoples. So with the
Amalgamated association, an organiza-
ton may be defeated in a contest, but
it will not be conquered
THE Amalgamated association will
not be crushed; she will not be con-
quered; she must not be defeated"
President Gompers would not say Just
what the Federation of Labor proposed
to do, or in fact anything beyond what
was contained in thee written state
ment issued by him. 1t is presumed,
however, that all of the federation
men engaged in the iron an steel trades
will be called out with the Amalga-
mated men.
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