The age-herald., 1901-08-12
Based Upon Refusal of Several Lodges to Obey Order of
 President Shafer
BOTH SIDES ON QuI WYE
Secretary Williams Says the Trouble Arises from the Refusal of Steel Officials to Arbitrate-Extreme
 Measures Intimated.

Pittsburg, Pa., August 1.-The iron masters arc tonight claiming victory In the great steel strike. They base their claim upon the refusal of the Amalgam- ated men at South Chicago. Joliet and Bay View to obey the general strike order of President Shaffer and their suc- cess in maintaining operations in other plants where 1t was expected that there would be serious trouble. The strike lead CTS meet the claims of victory with the assertion that their cause is making sat- isfactory progress and that they will show themselves masters of the situa- tion before the contest has progressed much further. They do not conceal their disappointment at the refusal of their Western brethren to strike, but none of the leaders would discuss the defec- tion
 President Shaffer refused to meet the newspaper men who sought him, and kept within the seclusion of his home. The other leaders who were seen inti- mated that there would be developments tomorrow and throughout the week that would materially change the situation.
 
 strong aid from the American Fedora tion of Labor and other organizations of union labor but those bodies have not yet given any public indication of what they will do. The Amalgamated Associa- tion has developed great strength in the Wheeling district, and has made gains in some of the Pennsylvania districts. but it will be tomorrow before the lines of clevage will be marked with sufficient clearness for count of the men.
 Officials Are Busy.
 The steel officials were in communica- ton tonight with their superintendents and district managers and at Il o'clock made public the result of their reports which showed that South Chicago, Joliet and Bay View at Milwaukee, had voted to stay in; that the Ohio works of the National Steel company at Youngstown, and the King. Gilbert and Warner plants of the National company at Columbus had resumed without trouble: that the Homestead, Edgar Thompson. Duquesne, Upper and Lower Union and Howard Axle works of the Carnegie group. em- ploying more than 15.0O0 men had re- sumed work without trouble, the convert ing and blooming mills of the Natioal Tube company at McKeesport had started without difficulty and that Bellair had been only partially crippled. They were also advised that She men of the Boston Rolling mills at McKeesport would be started. 1t was certain that meany men would not go out They were also noti- fled that their Wheeling plants were crip- pied and hat it was uncertain what would be done there. Their advices also said that the Clark mill here which has been running non-union for several days would he started up as usual tomorrow morning and that there was no doubt about It's successful operation. The steel officials were elated over their showing at the Carnegie plants and in Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin and expressed confidence in speedy victory over the Amalgamated association.
 Strike Leaders Talk.
 National vice-President Walter Lar kins of the Amalgamated association, discussing the situation in Wheeling dis trict tonight, said:
 "At the Riverside plant of the Nation- al Tube company the plate and tube mills will be off Monday morning and possibly the steel department. Already we have taken into membership in the Amalga- mated $50 of the 800 skilled men of the Riverside and the remaining 15O workers fin the steel departments have asked us to call meeting at which they may or Ranize a lodge, which will be done.
 "we have succeeded in tieing up the Bellair plant of the National Steel Com pany; we organized 250 of the skilled men Saturday. and at meeting this after noon there were more assessions
 '.The Labelle plant of the American Tin Plate Company is closed tonight. as are also the Aetna-Standard mills of the Standard Sheet Steel and American Hoop companies. The Mingo Junction plants of the National Steel and American Steel Hoop companies are also closed.
 "The meeting of the Ohio Valley trades and labor assembly this afternoo passed resolutions denouncing Andrew Carnegie and calling upon the labor people of wheeling to vote against the acceptance of the s75,O00 offered Wheeling for libra ry building"
 Secretary Williams gave out an inter- view tonight In which he has placed the blame for the strike on the refusal of the officials of the United States Steel Cor peration to arbitrate, and declaced before fhe strike was over thousands of men in other trades would be drawn into 1t to nave the Amalgamated Association and the principles for which 1t stands. He said:
 T tell you this question will have to be settled in some way. If not by peaceful strike. then by legislation. If that fails. the ballot will be tried. If all else fails, I believe that it would result in an ap- peal to the bayonet. I tell you there is