The Washington times., 1901-08-06
Circulation satcment-
The Strike Situation.

Whether the general strike order
which President Shaffer is expected TO
issue is being withheld in the hope
that Mr. j. =. Morgan will modify his
present views and make some conces-
sons. or not, nobody appears 10 know.
In any case the matter probably has
gone too far for a backdown on either
side at present The open sympathy
with the movement OF the Federation
of Labor and the understanding that
II will order out the men under its con-
troll who are working in shops, mines
and on railways upon which the Steel
Trust depends for raw material or
Transportation. renders the prospect for
an early settlement all the more
gloomy. Should a general strike be or
dered, including these workers, II would
affect not less than two hundred thou
sand workingmen, and would injure the
business interests of the country disas-
trousIy. even were strike conditions to
obtain for only two or three weeks.
On the side of the Morgan combina-
ton, it is evident that an attempt will
be made to resume production with
non-union labor as fast as possible. The
Wellsviile, Ohio. plant is nearly man
ned. and the mayor of the town has
issued a proclamation guaranteeing
protection to men who choose to work
1t is considered likely that the large
mill at McKeesport will be put in COM
mission within a day or two We hear
that the men have been engaged, and,
no doubt, when they appear it will be
under protection of some sort But the
event v III bring on riot, or we are
much mistaken.
The gravest feature Of the situation
is that the Federation of Labor may
order out the railway men on lines
handling the Steel Trusts products. In
their own interests one would think
that the strike leaders would refrain
from adopting that measure. 1t is i'm
possible in these days 10 tie up trunk
line OF railway without interfering with
Interstate commerce. and such inter-
ference instantly would introduce the
Federal Government, with its Regular
Army as a factor in the fight. Presi-
dent Shaffer and his colleagues must be
blind indeed to invite such a thing.
They ought to know that nothing would
better please their antagonists than ac-
tiop which would justify Intervention
By the General Government 1t is owned. !
controlled, and operated at present by
the trusts and monopolies, and the |
Steel Trust is the greatest of them. Its !
maEnates. individually considered. /
dominate the lot. II includes the men /
who dictate the policies and methods
of the oil sugar, tobacco, rubber. rum
and a dozen other monopolies. and who !
are combined in the vast, financial in
stitutions which held the United States I
Treasury by the throat. Does anyone
suppose that this aggregation OF power
is not sufficient TO compel the Admins
tFation 10 do what it wills in the way
of armed force TO put down strikes?
1t is a SAD business altogether and,
in view of what we fear, may happen,
we heartily wish that it never had been
started. However. since the country
is in for il. there may be useful lessons
to be learned before it shall be over
Possibly the masses may finally realize
the proposition that they cannot put
the trusts in absolute political power
over them without feeling the spur and
The lash occasionally