Evening star., 1901-08-10
THREAT MADE GOOD
Steel Trust Begins Tearing Down
the Dewees-Wood Plant.
ACTION DISCONNECTED STRIKERS
Non-Union Mill at Wheeling, w.
Va, Shut Down.
BOTH SIDE s W A T / n q
BOTH SIDES w AIT n G.

trust is fulfilling its threat to remove the
big steel mill from McKeesport. Early this
morning $50 men filed into the mill and Inn
mediately began taking down the rolls and
placing them on cars for shipment to the
proposed new site of the steel mill in the
Kiskminetas valley.
This prompt action produced consterna-
tion among some of the mill workers, and
especially among the families of the set
tied men who own property Demonstra-
tions of distress and regret were made by
these people
Among many of the workers, however,
who well understand the motive for the re-
moval-that is, to influence the strike to-
nght-it aroused a spirit of stubbornness
and determination to keep up the fight
against the trust. Organizers went about
among the men telling them that this was
only bluff by the steel trust, and advised
the men not to be alarmed or buldozed.
Cause of the Strike.
Today, on the eve of the general strike
ordered by President Shaffer of the Anal
gamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin
Workers, it may be of interest to recall
what the trouble that has been brewing
for a month Is about.
The following statement dictated for The
Evening Star by man high in labor cir
Cles gives II In nutshell:
The Amalgamated Association demanded
that all mills in the sheet, hoop and tin
departments of the United States Steel
Corporation be included in the union scale
of wages, whether those mills were union
or not.
This demand was refused by the steel
trust The trust agreed to sign for the
union mills and to give In addition four
mills that the trust claimed were not then
union. The failure to compromise these
vital differences caused the Amalgamated
to call upon it's members employed in all
departments of the steel trust to go on
strike tonight
That is the technical statement of the
case. The popular explanation is that the
Amalgamated Association wants not only
to preserve it's union organization, but also
opportunity to extend unionism. The steel
trust. while willing to eountenance union
ism in its existent state. refuses oppor-
tunity for it's further growth in it's mills
Two Important Moves.
Two important moves were made on the
checker board of the strike situation late
yesterday afternoon and last night The
steel trust made the first one In announc-
ing that it would proceed at once to move
from McKeesport, on account of labor hos
tility, the great Dewees-Wood steel mill
This factory employs from Loco to 100
men, and many Of the employees own prop
erty in the town.
This action Of the steel trust was for the
direct purpose of chilling the ardor of the
strike movement in McKeesport and to dis
courage the men from obeying the general
strike order of President Shaffer tonight
rhraa
made in behalf of the strike. President
Gompers of the great Federation of La
bor, coming out of conference with Shat
fer's board, announced that the Federation
approved the steel strike and pledged his
organization to give it moral and financial
support.
1t Is well understood in all circles that
the promise of moral support means that
Federation men will go out on strike when
ever by doing so they can be of direct SER
vice to the Amalgamated Association
These events, taken in connection with
the failure of the latest efforts at arbi-
tration, telegraphed to The Star yester-
day afternoon, convinced every one here
that the test of strength has now COM
menced in earnest; that if Shaffer can get
even the partial support of the non-union
mill workers In his strike tonight the bit
terest struggle between labor and capital
this country has ever witnessed will now
proceed, to what end no man can foresee.
Trust Will Give No Quarter.
1t is evident by the developments of the
past twenty-four hours that the steel trust
Will give no quarter in this fight and that
It's policy is to absolutely crush organized
labor by series of rapid and radical steps
Following quickly upon the announcement
of the removal of the Devices Wood mill
comes a statement this morning that an
immense plant in Youngstown is to be
taken away and threat that the mann
moth tube works at McKeesport NAV be
removed TO Conneaut, Ohio, where Carne-
gle once projected $4,000 900 plant or
course. whenever one of these union mills
Is removed from this section 1t will start
up again non-union and so remain forever.
The removal OF the Devices Wood mill Is
part of a general plan to completely
crush not only the Amalgamated Associa-
tion, but of unionism far as 1t affects
the making of iron and steel McKeesporf
Is a strong union town. The workmen are
well organized, and the union spirit per-
Vades the atmosphere. All efforts to op-
pose II in the past have caused bioodshed
II is said 1t Is realized by the steel trust
that even though this mill be started and
the necessary number of men be secured to
keep 1t going steadily there would be con-
slant friction with the union spirit of the
town. Therefore 1t Is proposed to move
the factory to a place where there will be
no union men and no union spirit. The
steel trust will control the manufacturing
or the new place and every man must
agree to not join the union.
IL Is now threatened that the next blow
TO Mckeesport will be the removal Of the
National Tube works This would take
away from the town 5000 men. 1t is a
place OF 10000, and two such blows would
almost prove the death Of the city. 1t
would cost but little to the steel combine,
as the plants are old and need rebuilding
1t Is as easy and cheap to rebuild else
where.
Warning to Other Towns.
This action is understood to be held up
as an example to the thriving manufactur-
ing communities Of the middle west They
must suppress unionism or the steel COM
bine will take away such Of their factories