The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-09
A STRUGGLE To WIN
BYPARADE OF POWER
The Steel Trust and Strikers
Strain Every Energy.
TRUST REOPENING MILLS
Amalgamated Men Work to Extend
Their Membership.
TRUST REOPENING MILLS
ALSO TO OBTAIN SUPPORT OF GOMPfRs
The President of the Federation of Labor in
Conference With Shaffer. The General
Strike Now But forty-Eight
Hours OFF.
(By the Associated Press. }

Pittsburg, Pa, August S.-The contend
ing sides in the steel strike are CEN
tering their energies for a show of
strength on the day that the general
strike order becomes effective. The Uni
ted States Steel CorpoI alton is re open
ing mills closed by the first strike call
to show it's independence of unionism and
gathering strength wherever it may to
tighten the effect of the general strike
order, and the Amalgamated Association
bends its energies to the extension of it's
membership and to obtain the support
and cooperation of the American Fedora
tion of Labor.
The general strike order becomes effec-
tive on Saturday, and the claims put
forth on either side as to the results
that will accrue from it are widely at
variance Officials of the steel companies
admit that thousands of men will obey
the order of President Shaffer and go
out, but they positively deny the tie up
will be general. They point to their sue
cess in opening four mills that were
closed and say they have strongholds at
points where the Amalgamated claims the
greatest strength. The steel officials are
inclined to minimize the sympathetic as
sistance which the Amalgamated Associa,
tion will get
With both sides arming for the con-
fict and general strike but forty eight
hours away. many ordinarily well informed
persons hold the belief there will yet be
settlement of the strike Veryl Pres
ton came here yesterday and his presence
started the rumor today that he was here
to ask another conference in behalf of
the steel corporation. Mr.. Preston
pointedly denied that he was doing any
thing of the kind, and during the day
made no effort to see, any of the strike
leaders. Some of them who predict q
settlement believe there will be out
side Intervention from powerful interests
and submission of the dispute to arbi-
tration. Different men of national repu-
tation, including Archbishop Ireland and
Senator's Hanna and Scott have been
named in this connection. but if efforts
are being put forth in that direction they
have not yet appeared upon the sur ]
face
President Shaffer devoted today to a
conference with President Gompers, of the
American Federation Of Labor who came
here for personal study of the situation
before committing himself or his i'm
mense organization in any manner. The
conference reached no conclusion, and un-
less there is an alteration of plans will
be resumed at 10 o'clock tomorrow morn
ing President Gompers came here in
company with Frank Morrison. Secretary
of the Federation, and was met at the
Amalgamated headquarters by President
Shaffer, Secretary Williams, Assistant
Secretary Tigh Vice Presidents Rees and
Chappell, National Trustee John Pierce
and Ben l. Davis. They sat in executive
session from eleven o'clock until $40
o'clock, when they went out for lunch
They returned to the strike headquarters
shortly after five o'clock and after
brief talk parted for the day.
President Gompers declined to state
the result of the deliberations and would
say nothing, other than that he had come
here to look the situation over and con-
suit with President Shaffer. President
Shaffer also declined TO talk about the
conference. The strikers are very anxious
to secure the active cooperation of the
Federation and many of them express
their confidence in getting it.
The steel corporation succeeded today
in getting the farm mill at the Lindsay
and McCutcheon plant and another mill
at the Clark Works in operation. They
also received reports that at Hyde Park
last night, four of the mills did perfect
work and an announcement from Wells
vile that the strike was virtually over
there. They met with no opposition at
any of the four points where they have
re-opened mills and expressed their salts
faction at the progress made. The strik
erS insist that there are not enough
men at the Lindsay and McCutcheon es-
tablishment to operate the one mill
started and predicted that it would close
down during the day. 1t was kept going,
however, until night. 1t is planned %
open another mill at Lindsay and Nc
Cutcheon, and also to start the Painter
p.ill and the Charters plant at Carnegie,
but just when they will be started re-
mains to be seen. The Steel Corporation
evidently is putting forth its greatest et-
fort at Pittsburg, the headquarters OF
the strike, for the moral eect else
where.