The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-12

As far as can be judged at TINS houf,
although several thousand recruits
have joined The army OF steel strikers
as a result Of President Skaters order,
compliance with it has been so greatly
less general than Amalgamated Asso-
citation officers confidently expected,
that the movement presents the ap-
pearanCe OF failure. Later develop
ments may change the situation, tut
today il looks very much as if the
strike had missed FIRE
The action Of the steel workers in
the Illinois and Wisconsin plants, IN
deciding almost unanimously To disObey
the strike order. leaves big gap in the
line Of resistance. and there are other
things calculated TO discourage the
Amalgamated leaders. IL is said that
there are serious dissensions in their
executive board. and that MI. ShaneT
for some time has not enjoyed the con
hdence nor received the earnest support
of several Of his associates who are in
fiuential in the councils Of the order.
How much truth there may be in such
reports We do not know, but for some
days apparent evidences OF division
have been cropping out. Perhaps the
dismantling Of the Devices " God plant
at McKeespOrt- preparatory 10 its re
movaI. has had as depressing an effect
upon the strike as any other cause. It
has created a positive scare not only in
that town, but in others dependent
upon Steel Trust mills for their pros
perity. Whatever such communities
may feel, as regards the merits Of the
struggle between the Amalsamuted As
sociation and the Morgan combination.
the MckeespOrt object lesson has had
the effect Of teaching them that dem
Onstrations like those Of Mayor Black
and others could not be repeated else
where without unpleasant conse-
quences. Popular sympathy is gener-
ally plentiful enough when it costs
nothing. but it is not reliably disinter-
ested. If the people Of Youngstown be
Ieved that their open support Of the
strike would result in the loss Of the
Combination Mills at that point. the
chances are that they would be chary
about giving it.
On the whole, the trust appears to
have won the first skirmish. and the
battle line Of the strikers looks much
weaker than Il did on Saturday Con-
ditions may be altered later on but
now they rather indicate defeat for the
Amalgamated Association People OF
prominence without any direct interest
in the contest are represented as hav-
ing made honest efforts 10 end the war
by means Of arbitration, and Samuel
GOmpers, President Of the Federation
Of Labor. even as late as yesterday
seemed 20 have some hope that ne
could induce the Steel Trust people TO
listen to such a proposition. But. as far
as We can see, there is but a very poor
prospect that Mr.. Morgan will con-
slider that solution for a m0ment-at
least. not at this time. He and his.
coadjutors, II reports are true. believe
that, for practical purposes, the general
strike order has fallen flat, and that the
backbone Of the movement is broken.
They may or may not have reason to
change their minds during the ensuing
days. For the present there is little
doubt that they they think they have
the whiphand Of the situation. and.
that being the case. they would not be
Morgans and trust magnates if they
were capable Of making even the con-
cession Of arbitration.