Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-24
.SBAF|E[R ON The Strike
President OF the Amaleamated
Association Explains Strike
and Settlement.
Lack OF Money and Opposition
Of the Press Causes Of
Failure.
History Of the Peace Oyertures
and the Terms Of
Agreement.


the statement by President Shaffer, OF
i the Amalgamated Association, giving a
| history of the late strike of steel and
! tin workers from its inception, and the
1 terms of the settlement. The circular
1 will be mailed to all districts at once.
| President Shaffer says in the circular
! that the statements contained therein
gave fair and truthful account of
occurrences leading to and compelling
q settlement of the strike. In part the
circular is as follows:
when we had almost completed ar
arrangements with the representatives CT
| 1.-THE American Tin Plate Company for
scale rates and conditions, at the con-
| ference held in Cleveland, the question
| of signing for Monessen was preached.
land after discussion it was agreed by
| both sides that the matter was to be
settled by the sheet steel conferences; II
the sheet steel company signed for ALL
the American Tin Plate Company would
do likewise. Thus, you perceive, the
scale question was not settled complete
Is with the last named company and
could not be until the other company
lad settled. The tin plate people knew
that we had decided to enforce article
Xix, section IS, consequently the charge
that we broke our agreement must rest
upon the action OF the sheet conference.
I'VE were in fairly good condition to
win without help, but looked for aid
from other labor bodies, some of which
were pledged, and tosthe general public,
but especially relied upon the American
Federation of Labor with which body
we have been affiliated, ever since its in
ception and toward whose support we
have never failed to contribute.
Our strike advanced and we were
confident of winning until the sneWspa-
pers deliberately and maliciously pub
5lished statements which were replete
with lies Our people hegan, to doubt
and upbraid; some. who had been Off
.cials, deserted us, and afterwards like
j. d. Hickey OF Milwaukee, accepted the
terms of the trust and scabbed. Hun
Greds who dared not sheep mt home went
8tc other places, and In nearly every mill
the trust tried to run were many A. A.
men from striking mills. We knew our
cause would be lost, but proceeded, feel
Ing sure we could win IL support could
be secured for the faithful strikers. The
American Federation of Labor gave us
not one cent. The report that financial
help came from the national lodge of the
mine workers is absolutely false--we re-
ceived nothing.
.sPerceiving that lack OF money, loss
NV H.
dreds Of our own people and neglected
by other organizations would render 1t
Impossible to gain a decisive victory. we
endeavored to save what we could.
arranged for Mr.. Gompers, Of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor. to meet Mr..
Morgan to effect a settlement. Mr. Nor
gan gave up his vacation and went to
New York and waited for Mr.. .Gompers,
who failed to appear, nor has he since
explained why he neglected our inter-
ests. We were called upon at the ma
tionaI office by John Mitchell OF the
Emitted Mine Workers, Mr.. Easley of the
Civic Federation, Mr.. Henry of the Gar
ment Workers and Professor jerks of
Cornell University. These gentlemen
INQUIRED carefully into our strike and
Mr.. Mitchell stated IL we would present
q proposition. which he outlined. he
would demand acceptance by the trust.
or call out the miners, and he said he
felt sure Mr.. Sargent would call on the
trainmen to strike also. We sent the
proposition to the members of the ex
ecutiye board, which voted in favor of
the proposition, OF which the following
Is a copy:
- ~ we, the representatives OF the
A1nalgamated Association. hereby agree
that the scale shall be signed for the
mills which We're signed for last year,
with the. understanding that union
prices shall be paid in the mills now on
strike, and that no striker shall lose his
position because of connection with la
Dor organizations, nor shall ne be pre-
vented from continuing his membership
ie he DESIRES
II notified Mr.. Mitchell and Mr.. Eas-
lev OF the acceptance of the proposition,
and on Sept received the following
telegram from New York:
1--WE have had an extended confer
ence with Messrs. schwab, Cory, Pres
ton. Graham and McMurtie. OF the
United States Steel Corporation. and
presented our position for the settle-
u,ent of the present strike. 1t was re-
jected. We can, however, secure set
t,ement on the following basis:
1.-the signing of the agreement for all
mills which were union last year, except
Old Meadow. Salisbury, Hyde Park,
Crescent Irondale, Chester. Cambridge,
Star and Monessen There will be no
Discrimination against the re-employ-
ment OF any one by reason Of his con-
nection with the strike.
I'VE are convinced that these are the
best conditions which can be secured; i
that it is the last offer for an agree
ment which the company will entertain,
and that we must be in condition to
accept these conditions today or all ne
gotiations will be off. We are strongly |
of the opinion that the interest of your
trade and your organization demands
that these terms be accepted. We un-
uualifiedly recommend their acceptance |
by you and at once.
mfr. Gompers by telephone said to
your president: Mr.. Shaffer, I, as an
Individual, recommend that you take a
stand for the proposition, have done
the same and would do so again. We |
refused to hold further telephone in
tercourse with him and waited for the
coal miners and railroad men to be |
called out. They We're willing to come,
as thousands assured us. but they have
not been called and the trust was more
sure that with other organized labor
bodies against us, we must be defeated.