The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-07-16
PRESIDENT sHAFFER TRIES
PoWER OF FORCE.
AFFECTS MANY THOUSANDS
Walk Out for Present Will Be
Limited to Three Sub
sidiary Companies.

Pittsburg, July 13-After a three
days session the conference between
representatives of the American
Sheet Steel, American Steel Hoop
and American Tin Plate companies,
subsidiary companies of the United
States Steel corporation, and the gen
eral executive board of the Amalga-
mated Association of Iron, Steel and
Tin Workers, adjourned finally at 6
O'Clock this evening without having
reached an agreement.
In less than half an hour later
President Shaffer of the Amalgamat-
ed association had wired the follow
ing order to all A%galmated lodges in
the tin plate, steel hoop and sheet
steel mills of the country:
Notify your men that the mill is
on a strike, and for the present only
the three companies named will be
affected. but later all the men in the
employ of the Federal Steel. National
Steel and National Tube companies
may be called out, if it is decided to
resort to extreme measures to win"
At the start it is estimated that
$4,000 skilled workmen; 81 ,00O IN
skilled and indirectly many thousands
more will be affected.
After adjournment of the confer
ence the following statement was
given out by officials of the three
companies interested:
"The conference between the Anal
gamated association and sheet, hoop
and tin plate companies failed to
come to an agreement because the
Amalgamated association did not re-
cede from it's original position, which
was that the three companies inter-
ested should sign for all their mills,
without regard as to WHETHER these
mills had in the past belonged to the
Amalgamated association or not. The
manufacturers did not refuse their
rights to organize, but having many
men in mills not in the Amalgamated
association, who did not want to be-
come association men, claimed they
must respect these in their wishes,
as we'll as those who are members
of the association.
I'm order to effect a compromise
the manufacturers offered to sign for
several mills which have always in
the past been out of the association.
No compromise was offered by the
Amalgamated association. The Amer
lean Tin Plate company have only
one non-union mill. They requested
the privilege to make a special scale
for this mill and sign the same. This
was refused and the company was
given to understand that the men in
all the tin mills would be called out,
even though the scale had been sign
ed for all other tin mills.
THE privilege requested above
would settle all differences between
the tin plate company and the Anal
gamated association
In giving general details of the
effect of the strike that is now order
ed President Shaffer said that the
first order only went to the mills of
the three companies that have been
carrying on negotiations. It was
thought best that this should be the
case. The order for the others that
are to be called out is to follow in a
circular letter sent to every lodge Of
the Amalgamated association in the
country where there are mills of the
United States Steel corporation in
operation. 1t would include the mills
of the Federal Steel, National Steel.
and National Tube companies. and
wherever there We're organized men
employed in non-union plants Of he
fist mentioned companies. is could
not give the total number Of mcn
wit would thus be rendered idle, hut
estimated them from reports of other
general officers of the organization at
10000 directly and probably 200, 900
indirectly. 1t was his intention to
have the strike as general as posi-
BILE at the earliest possible moment
SO as to force a settlement of the dis
pute quickly.
invades South America.