Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-07-12

between the steel manufacturers and
the Amalgamated Association Of Iron,
Steel and Tin Workers began in the
Hotel Lincoln yesterday morning.
The sole purpose Of the conference
is to settle the strike now existing
among the employees of the union
mills of the American Sheet Steel and
American Steel Hoop companies, with
the additional threatened strike of the
men III the American Tin Plate COM
pany should the first two not be set
tied in short time.
People at the Conference.
The representatives of the manu-.
featuring combines present at the con-
ference included John Warner, of the
American Sheet Steel company;
Warner Arms, second vice president,
and w NJ. Leeds, third vice presi.
dent, Of the American Tin Plate com
nany; Veryl Preston. former president
Of the American Steel Hoop company;
!. W. jerks, general manager of the
American Steel Hoop company. and
Charles w. Bray, chief engineer of the
American Tin Plate company The
Amalgamated association was repre-.
scented by President T. j. Shaffer,
John II Morgan, national trustee. of
Youngstown, O.: J. f. Ward. vice
president Of the sixth district, of
Youngstown, o.; Ben l.. Davis, Pitts
burg, +. J. Williams, Birmingham,
Ala; William Gibson, Davis Rees, AL.
legheny; John Quinn, Granite City,
Ind, and John Chappell, New Castle.
all Of whom are known as vice presi-
dents of the several districts of the
Amalgamated association
The following is rnmored to be
some of the occurrences at the con
ference:
President Shaffer, of the AmaIga.
mated association, was chosen pre-
siding officer of the meeting, fact
hat was Of special interest, inasmuch
as II is the first time that Mr.. Shat
Ter or any Amalgamated man has
been made president of the confer
enee of this kind.
At noon an adjournment was taken
until 2 O'Clock, when another session
was held At this session President
Shaffer, in behalf of the Amalgamated
association, formally presented the
case for the organized workmen and
the strikers. He said in part that the
officials OF the various companies had
plainly indicated that they are work.
ing on a policy for operating their
pon-union plants in preference to the
union mills, and only working the lat
ter when it is necessary. This plan.
he declared, is forcing the union men
10 desert the organization in order to
get work. The idle mills. being
Union, and the union men being rem.
eered poverty stricken as the price
.or being members OF the organization
means either that the Amalgamated
association is going to be disbanded
coon, or else the non-union mills will
nave to be made union so that equal
Justice will be given to all
Association Put to Test.
1t was a matter of life and death
for the Amalgamated association that
the non-union mills be done away
with, as Mr.. Shaffer put the situation.
The alleged method adopted by the
American Sheet Steel company in
practically starving the employees of
the Old Meadows mills in ScottdaIe
into a non-union agreement was elab-
Grated on end the demand made by
that company that the mill be left
out OF the scale entirely in the future
was taken as an indication of what
the general plan of the company is in
dealing with the Amalgamated asso-
citation. 1t meant, be said. slow
starvation or else complete surrender
to the company and the giving up OF
all rights to organize unions in their
plants.
In reply to the statements of Pres
ident Shaff8r, the officers of the vari-
Gus companies present gave an out
line OF their position They denied
any intention of working an injustice
toward union werkmen in their mills
The feeling Tor the Amalgamated men
had always been friendly, they said
and they had no desire to force any
trouble among them.
The tone in each side was AMIGA
ole and ii was apparent that the man
ufacturers' representative were pre-
pared to so long way to gain
peaceful solution of the existing diff
hculties. The members of the two
conference committees began present
ing arguments in favor of their differ
ent positions in the trouble. and this
continued. until o'clock in the after,
noon, when by agreement the meeting
was adjourned until this morning at
10 O'Clock. Both sides said that thew
had more arguments to present in
support Of their propositions before
The issue is taken up for arbitration.
Secrecy as TO Proceedings.
After the conclusion of the meeting
yesterday afternoon, the members on
each side Of the case declined to dis.
cuss the proceedings for publication.
There seemed to be a feeling of
doubt among all the members. The
air OF uncertainty was general and
II was plain that on each side there
was disposition to hold back iudg-
ment until more definite grounds were
reached. The Amalgamated associa-
ZION members had come to the confer
enee with the idea that the combines
Interested were willing to Immediate
iy give up all claims for their non.
union plants.
Inc combine officials, on the other
hand, demanded consideration of sew.
eraI points concerning their non-union
mills which had IN I7n a~,...