The Washington times., 1901-08-11
STEEL TRUST ARRA[GNED.
Denounced in a Statement Issued
by Workers Interests.
Local League Tells of the COnsidera-
lions ImpeIIing Them to Legal Ac-
tion-Lawyers to Meet Here Mon
day Night to Formulate Plans.

A detailed statement of the considera-
tons which led to the adoption of reso-
iutions favoring legal action against the
United States Steel Corporation, as vio-
lators of the Sherman Antitrust law.
and antitrust laws in various States, is
contained IN q circular letter issued last
night by the joint committee represent
ing the Antitrust League, and Dis
trict Assembly No. IS, Knights of Labor.
together with friendly organizations and
citizens. The statement also cats for
financial assistance for the prosecution
of cases against the Steel Trust. and an
noupces a determination to fight the
trust 10 the last ditch. The circular let
ter is as follows:
''The present conflict between the Anal
gamated Association of Iron and Steel
Workers and the United States Steel Cor
poration is of such vast extent, involves
so many thousands Of men and such a
vast amount of capital, that it seriously
threatens the welfare Of the people and
the prosperity of all branches of business
in the United States
From evidence in our possession we
are fully satisfied that the United States
Steel Corporation is q criminal trust
within the meaning of both the Federal
and State statutes and is not lawfully
entitled to exercise the privilege of con-
Quoting any business in the United States
whatever Il is the oyer-reaching greed
for profit and power on the part of the
management Of this corporation which
has brought about the present conflict
that threatens Unreasonable injury to
the business interests of the people of the
United States
THE officers Of the trust have boldly
IL L.
nate the Amaigamated Association of
Iron and Steel Workers and wipe II out
as an organization in all their mills
Such declaration of war on the part of
any employer of labor, no matter how
law-abiding otherwise, would be dan
gerous and unlawful invasion of the
rights Of citizens; but when such threat
to deprive the wage workers Of their only
protection against avaricc and power is
made by a corporation that is notorious
and dangerous Violator of both the civil
and criminal laws in the United States
and the various States, then it is time
that all good citizens should see that the
law IS applied without fear. favor, or hope
OF reward, alike 10 the rich and the poor
and should take the necessary steps 10
have the conflict settled in lawful man
ner before the courts of the land The
private interests Of both the working and
business men of the country, as well as
the interests of the public welfare gencr-
ally, require that such a course be taken
A great strike Of this character, where
thousands of men feel that their rights
are being trampled under foot by a pow
erful and lawless corporation has been
shown by history Of the past to drift into
a civil conflict of the greatest proportions
'In view of these facts. the American
Antitrust League and District Assembly
c. of the knights of Labor, together with
other friendly organizations and citizens,
have decided to employ counsel and to be-
gin proceedings under quo warranto in
Junction. or mandamus, in the courts of
the United States, and of various States
through the Attorneys General of both the
Federal and State governments, to prose-
cute the United States Steel Corporation
for numerous and dangerous violations of
the law, and thereby tend to bring the set
Element OF the whole difficulty into the