The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-03
DAVIS DEFENDS sHAFFER,
Also Asserts that the steel Corpora
ton VIII BE Defeated.

PITTSBURG, Pa, Sept. IF We had
known what we do now, the last offer of
the United States Steel Corporation at the
Hotel Lincoln conference in July would
probably have been accepted" said Ben L.
Davis, of the advisory board and executive
committee of the Amalgamated Association
and recognized al an official representative
of President T. j. Shaffer i'm all his utter
ances to-day. However, that is past and
gone and We are now in a fight with the
corporation Some of the people who have
elected to place the brunt of all alleged
mistakes on President Shaffer have pointed
to the refusal TO accept the offer made at
the Hotel Lincoln as his mistake There
were fifteen men there and any one had
much voice as Mr.. Shaffer The people who
are now criticising the conduct of the
strike are doing from personal pique
Some or the people inside and out of the
organization are now urging on us that the
strikers be ordered back 10 work practi-
cal surrender of the Anna lgamated Assoc
citation. This Will never be. We will en-
force recognition of our ma tiOnal organiza-
ton by the United States Steel CORPORA ton
The tight has been on now in earnest since
the middle OF july and not twenty OF our
members have become deserters. Most of
these are men in the Painter mill of the
American Steel Hoop Company, new mem
| bers, and six or seven cOlored men at the
Clark mills Our men. especially the old
members. those in the sheet mills and tin
mills, will stand up till they starve. IL is
tremendous task that the combine has
undertaken 10 start these mills nonunion.
such attacks as those of j. ID. Hickey in
Milwaukee yesterday are purely personal
or own people know what weight To at
tach TO them. The only hurtful influence
Il with the public and with people who
might otherwise give us more support.
Hickey is quoted as saying that the COM
blne has y per cent of its mills going.
That is manifestly incorrect. The mills
operating are not getting out near the
maximum of their product because il is
not needed through the idleness of the fin
iShing mills"
Officials of the American Tin-Plate Com
pany to-day said many tin-plate workers
continue to apply for places in the mills,
but that they fear the molesta ton of the
strikers. I'VE have l75 men ready TO man
the Demmer plant. if we could only get
proper protection can be had from the au-
thOrites there and 1t may be necessary 10
take aggressive steps to arrange the start
Oh the plant, said one of the officials.
telegram from McKeesport tonight
says The delay in starting the Demmler
hesltancy IN guaranteeing police protection.
The company, ii is said, appealed To Gov
ernor Stone and he promised TO send State
militia il necessary
The first effort TO break the strike of he
Amalgamat ted Association at New Castle
has been made. The local officers OF the
National Steel Company have submitted a
| proposition TO their former employees 10 re-
turn to work The company offers 10 re-
| employ all who were working for il at the
| time the strike was commenced, but spec
| lies that the men must return as indvid-
| ualS and not as members of any organiga-
| ton or trade union. The company offers
| to sign individual contracts with the men
| TO hold for one year or more, as the in
| dividuals may eject. The contracts will
! embody all the conditions OF the contract
signed on the 18th of July with the men as
! members of Unity Lodge of the Amalga-
mated. The proposition is now being con-
| sidered. No answer has yet been made
| TO the company. The American Sheet Steel
| Company officials claim to have sixty-iive
men in the mills a Canal Dover, o., and
| say they will have no trouble in getting
| enough men to operate the mills.
| From towns all around Pittsburg come
| advices that Labor day was celebrated
/ with greater demonstrations than ever
| known before. and Shaffer and the Anal
| gamated Association received hearty in
| dorsement generally. The one notable ex-
| ception to this unanimity was at Johns
! town, Pa, where the $1,000 people employed
! in the various big industries celebrated
| Labor day by working. Only two organ
| izatiOns-the Bricklayers' and Hold Car
| riers' unions-observed the day and not
/ many of the members of these unions
| Joined in the celebration.