Evening star., 1901-08-08
Advantage in Steel Strike Seems
With Employers So Far.
IDLE MILLS STARTING EVERY DAY
President Shaffsr Declares These
Are Empty Victories, However
SATURDAY WILL DECIDE
special From Staff Correspondent.

cess or failure If the great steel strike
still wavers in the balance. Even now, be-
fore the order COR general strike has
gone into effect, the steel manufacturers
are showing daily their ability to start,
= with non-union labor mills that had been
shut down by the strikers.
This is regarded as omnibus FOR the
strikers 1t weakenS the confident asser-
tion of the strike organizers that there
will be a wholesale exodus of men from
the running mills EeNt Saturday night, and
lends color to the statement of the mill
managers that they can secure non-union
labor to operate n sufficient number of
mills to prevent d general cessation of OPP
erations.
Every day this week one or more mills.
whose furnaces were cold and whose men
We're on strike, have been fired up and the
wheels started by non-union men, in every
instance, without offer of hindrance from
the strikers. In most cases the success of
the mill managers was a complete surpl lse
to the strikers.
Large Mill Starts Up.
This morning one of the large Pittsburg
mills was started in this manner, much
to the CONSERVATION of the strike man
ayers, who had persistently denied the
power of the company to get workmen.
But workmen had been obtained, quietly
admitted to the mill. and the first notice
the strikers had of the proceedings was
the roar of the machinery as the mill
started.
The policy of MeSsrs. Morgan and Schwab
and the steel trust managers in handling
this strike is even now clearly outlined.
They propose to take the idle mills singly
h. l0r- O.
them with non-union men and go to work.
1t is doubtful that any mill thus started
ever again becomes union. This policy will
be pursued in widely separated localities.
and if it is successful, as seems probable,
the steel trust will, before the end of next
week, be again putting its products on the
market in considerable quantities.
Moral Effect on the Strikers.
The moral effect upon the strikers of the
starting of the idle mills is disastrous to
the ends of the strike managers The men,
already restless, see the mills firing up
and their old places filled by non-union
workmen. 1t suggests to them the power
of the steel trust and hints at the lack of
organization that is alleged to exist in the
ranks of the Amalgamated Association.
1t will be necessary for the strike man.
ayers to hurry their organization and call
out great number of men when the gen.
eral order goes into effect next Saturday
night if this is to be overcome.
Monday morning next will pretty nearly
tell the tale. If Shaffers order for Satur-
day night succeeds in closing DOWN a con-
siderable number of the plants, the pros
poets of the strike will brighten. If it
does not 1t will be Nime to loo out for
stampedes of workmen returning to their
places
A riot, the shedding of strikers blood in
the meantime, might change the whole as
pect of affairs, however. The steel TRUST
managers recognize this and are trying to
avoid trouble. Feeling is bite against
the trust in all industrial branches in this
section, and small outbreak would arouse
a whirlwind of trouble.
This is particularly true at Mckeesport,
a steel town of 10000 inhabitants, within
half an hours ride of Pittsburg. There are
about COCO men on strike in that place and
feeling runs high among all classes.
Steel Trust Shy of McKeespOrt
1t is said that the steel trust has hesI-
tated to attempt starting mills a, Mckees-
port for fear of precipitatlng another
Homestead horror.
The strikers are at ons disadvantage,
which they are beginning t. realize The
mills are widely separated throughout
three or four states. With the exception
of this immediate vicinity the workmen
comprise only small portion of the COM
munities in which they dwell. They are
thus deprived Of the moral support Of
numbers They stand in Idleness while
other branches of industry are active
around their homes. and when a mill
phi oh haTr
up, it is discouraging
The one aim of the strike managers at
this time is to get the support Of other
labor organizations. Earnest appeals are
going out from headquarters to the heads
of organizations in every station, s,u based
upon the statement that if this strike fails
unionism Is doomed in every branch of
labor.
Labor Very Plentiful.
1t Is a source of great surprise to the
strike managers that the steel trust should
find labor so plentiful. The fact Is this
evidences the weakness of the organiza-
tion of the Amalgamated Association 1t
Is not necessarily fatal however viewed in
the light of past experience. Last fall
when the great strike occurred In TIE an
thracite coal region, the mine workers
union opened the game with less shan 1O-
coo members of the union. But within q
week they had brought out a hundred
thousand men.
This is what the strike mana gers are
now counting upon They claim that the
non-union steel workers will have TO come
out with the union men and join the union
In order to assure themselves of work
when business is resumed.
The Amalgamated Association is a great.
ls.r,,
of the leaders have a full idea Of it's
strength or weakness. This will be tested
Saturday night
Two Important Statements.
The Star correspondent received two
statements this afternoon that may be
considered important, coming, as they did,
from sources absolutely reliable, and all
the more trustworthy in that they were not
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