Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-07-15
THE BIG srnIkE
Continued from page -

urcrs committee broke the stiffness BY
say wing:
Well l guess there IL no further use
in waiting for other develOpme nts The
men have nothing TO offer and the
manufacturers have gore as far as
they can in justice 10 themselves"
President Shaffer replied that he ac-
corded with this view. II the manu-
facturers had no other proposition TO
offer. IL was useless to remain. Each
side arose To leave. Warner Arms
president of the American Steel Hoop
Co, said then:
II am sorry that our friendly rela-
tons in the past should have been bro
ken in this way; we have done every
thing in an amicable manner. With
this breach once opened II must be UNI
derstood that the cause Is on the side
Of the Amaigamated Association and
the public will understand
While keenly regretting the break in
the peace Of the relations between the
organization and the manufacturers.
President Shaffer said there seemed
no other course to pursue. His offer
ia the Hoop Co. to-, reconstruct the
scale for cotton ties hoop mills was
one of the most important sacrifices
that had ever. been offered by the as
ISOLATION He doubted If The settle
ment could have been made on that
basis without a great deal Of trouble,
but the committee felt willing to make
the concession to preserve peace.
Again. in the offer TO exclude the
tinplate mills. the hoop mills and the
= T,,. Il Il
ties with the plants owned by the
United States Steel Corporal ton should
the agreement be reached on the final
proposition Of the Amalgamated Asso-
ciation was granting the manufaet-
urers their most earnest with Of recog
nizing the individual responsibility Of
each of the constituent corporations of
the parent organiza ton. known as the
United States Steel Corporation.
II was thought that the manufact-
uIers would have quickly accepted this
final proposition. Their refusal was a
aurpfise to the Amalgamated men.
Willis King or the board of managers
Of Jones & Laughlin. an independent
corporation. did not hesitate To say.
when approached. today, that the in
Ai-!lity ~ the conferees to agree was
most unfortunate condition and meant
IN immense loss not only to all con-
ccrned but to the country generally.
a claim for increased wages on the
part Of thc workingmen." he said. lis
a comparatively easy matter to arbi-
tratc. for as n rule. both sides will
max. some concessions. but where
there is a principle involved. as there
seems 70 be in this case. and take the
newspapers as the authority for ii.
then it reaches a point where arbitra-
tinn il impossible and the one side or
the other must acknowledge defeat by
surrndeIing.
'Mr. Morgan ana his associates as 7
understands it are not opposed 10 union
ism wherever it exists. but they are
opposed to taking such step az will
neCcssitate their non-union employees
joining the Amalgamated Association.
There is but one phrase Of the mat
ter which | think can be left to arbi-
tration. 50 long as the present principle
is involved and that is whether ii is
right Tor the steel corporations To force
lis men into an organization against
their will. l think the men are arbi-
trary in this matter
In answer TO question. Mr.. King
said: should the fight become very
bitter ana be long drawn out. can see
no earthly hope of the workingmen
winning. They could cause much
trouble. but 10 not think they could
ever come out Victorious