Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-16
STRIKE is SPREADING
Situation at Pittsburg Gradually
Growing Worse for Trust.
DEPRESSIOY In BUSINESS CIRCLES
Efforts to Secure Compromise so
Far Prove UnavaiIng.
MEN AT IOI lEE co OIII
MEN AT JOLIET GO OUT

and inSidiously the strike fever is spread
ing, injecting new regions daily. Every
day adds to the gains of the strikers.
Yesterday $50 men went out at MckeeSport
merely in sympathy, having no union or
ganiZation and under obligation to the
Amalgamated, but they tied up another
tube mill The fires of a group of blast
furnaces at McKeesport are to be banked
tonight and 400 men will be idle. Blast
furnaces covering area of siXty-five
acres at McKeesport are cold today, and
their workmen idle in the streets. Restless
ness is reported among the workmen of a
number of mills that have thus far stood
out against the strike.
The only mills apparently immune from
the fever are the Great Homestead and
stack, steel converter and blast in the gi
gantc plant is going. With their utmost
efforts, the strikers have thus far been
unable to get a foothold in these works
The strikers are wild with jubiIation to-
day over the reported decision of the men
in the Joliet, H., mills to go on strike.
The moral of that action cannot be over
estimated in this region, and it is thought
by the strike managers that it may sway
the Milwaukee and Chicago workmen to
reconsider their opposition to the strike.
Gloom in Business Circles.
But while all is joyful in the ranks of
the strikers, gloom is settling deeper on
the business community and anxiety in
creases with each days events that serve
to extend the strike. Today witnessed a
redoubling of the efforts on the part of
large vested business interests to shape
the situation toward a settlement. In
fortunately, at this writing, 1t is imposSi-
bic to report favorable prospects in sight.
The American Steel Hoop Company is
trying to deal directly with the working
men, in its efforts to get them back to
their places in the mills. TIL hoop COM
pany claims that if the men understand
the true status of the terms offered to the
Amalgamated workers in their mills they
would not strike. The company has been
trying to arrange mass meeting of the
men at which these terms could be ex-
planned, but the Amalgamated Association
officials advised the men to keep away from
the meeting
Notice has been served upon the strikers
of one mill at Canonsburg, Pa, and an
other at Warren, Ohio, that unless work is
resumed next week the mills will be remov-
ed. These threats are not as effective now
as they were earlier in the game, as the
strike leaders tell the men that strong DO
litical influences will be invoked to prevent
general campaign of aggression along
such lines. President Shaffer of the Anal
gamated Association expressed himself to-
day as highly pleased with the outlook He
declares that the strike is to be extended
still further and until the steel trust ac-
cepts the full terms proposed by the as
soCiation.
To Provide for UnsLiIled Laborers.
The Amalgamated Association is devising
plans to secure work for the unskiIled labor
made idle through its strike. Many thou
sand laborers performing the heavy man.
ual work of the mills at low wages. are
Idle and in most cases are not able to
stand long strike as they have no bank
accounts
The association is setting up employment
bureaus in different places to secure jobs
for these laborers on contractors work.
The plan is succeeding fairly well and con-
siderable relief is being extended. The as
sociation is soliciting funds from the pub
lie to keep up the strike. Thur far there
have been few complaints of distress, but
the old heads in the organization know
that another week or two will bring heavy
demands upon the treasury.
The story Of the day is the struggle be-
tween the steel trust and the strikers for
the control of the men in the big Milwau-
kee mills. While the actual contest is going
on in Milwaukee, the campaign Is being
planned and executed from Pittsburg
TiRhe's Mission to Milwaukee,
Secretary Tighe is in Milwaukee with a
threat from President Shaffer of the Anal
gamated Association to summarily deprive
the lodges of their charters and imme-
diately expel the men from the union if
they do not join the strike at once. Repre-
sentatives of interests that are opposed to
the strike are also in Milwaukee encour-
aging the men to resist Tighe and Shaffer,
and advising them that Shaffer cannot de-
prive any lodge of it's charter without a
fair and full trial. The constitution of the
order is quoted in support of this state
ment. The constitution says:
mo subordinate lodge shall be expelled
or suspended or deprived of any of it's
rights or privileges, except as provided in
this constitution"
1t is there provided that charges must be
made in writing, and the lodge tried before
board OF investigation, consisting of the
national president, district vice president
and his deputies. This boards decision is
final.
Tighe succeeded in getting the Joliet men
out on the threat of expulsion from the
order, but failed in Chicago. Every effort
is being made to block his purpose in Mil
waukee. One of the persons selected to
explain the limitation of Shaffer's power
to the workmen is man who stands high
with the old element of the Amalgamated,
and who is bitterly opposed to the western
men violating their contracts and going
on strike.
shafrer VIII Act Arbitrarily.
Notwithstanding this apparent constitu-
tional prohibition, President Shaffer in
sists that he will proceed summarily. He
said this afternoon:
''The men of the Chicago lodges of the
Amalgamated Association who refused to
obey the strike order will be placed with
out the pale of the organization. Notices
will be sent to all the lodges to receive no
communication from them and to send
none to them. and to accept no working
cards from them. Such notification will be
given at once. A date will be set at which
the intercourse must cease. the date to