Evening journal., 1901-08-07
GENERAL STRIKE
NOW II ORDERED
Steel WOrkCrSOf Country Will
Stop Work on Saturday
At Least 100000 Men Will Comply
With The Order Of the Amalga-
mated Association

Pttsburg. Aug. THE die is cast.
President Shaher issued the long
looked-for general strike order last
evening. to take effect after the last
turn of the mills on August 10. II
Includes practically all Amalgamated
men OF the steel corporation not now
on strike, and will be mailed to vice
presidents of the districts In which
there are mills operated by the Ma
tional Steel, National Tube and Fed
eral Steel companies.
The text of the call is as follows:
Brethren-The officials OF the United
States Steel Trust have refused to recog
nize az union men those who are now
striving for the right 10 organize. The
executive board has authorized me TO
issue call upon all Amalgamated and
other union men Ia name and heart TO
join In the movement to fight for labor's
rights.
You viii be told that you have signed
contracts. but you never agreed to sur
render these contracts to the United
States Steel Corporation. Its officers think
you were sold TO them just as the mills
were. contracts and all.
Remember before you agreed to any
contract you took an obligation 10 the
You 10 help IN this hour OF need.
Unless the trouble s settled on or before
Saturday. August TO- 1901 the mills VIII
close when the last turn Is made on that
day.
T. ]. SHAfFER.
The call TO the men OF the three
companies in the mills OF which the
association is strongest is expected to
be promptly responded to on Saturday
which will swell the number OF idle
men to 100000. It will practically sus-
pend operations OF the Federal Steel
company and cut OF half the produc-
tion OF the other two companies. At
the plant of the National Tube COM
pany at McKeesport the organization
is new. and the effect OF the strike
order is uncertain.
President Shaffer declined to say
whether the order was meant to go to
the union men in the Carnegie steel
company, but it is probable that they
will be expected to join in the strike.
An EFFORT will also be made to hamper
the operations Of the American Steel
Wire and the American Bridge com
panies, although there is no organiza-
ton among the plants of the latter
concern.
At noon yesterday President Shat
fer called out all the men employed
in the New Castle mills OF the Ma
tional Steel company. They stopped
work at IL o'clock last night He
stated that his purpose IN doing this
was that he had learned that the
trust has been piling up union.made
bars in the old housings of the dis
mantled Jennings sheet mill for the
purpose Of supplying the trade to the
non-union mills when the plants were
shut down. About 1900 men are at.
fected b. this. the initial strike since
the failure Of the conference.
In an address TO the striking EN-.
ployes Of the Painter Steel and Hoop
Mills last night, President shaffer
said.
Men OF Painters mill. the final test
between organized capital and or
gained labor is now on Il is a fact
that last Saturday in the Office OF ].
PierpOnt Morgan In New York we
could have settled the strike had we
agreed 70 desert you. We would not
desert you, and we now ask you not
70 desert us (cries Of mo. no'). This
is a contest in which millions OF dol
lars are concentrated 70 cruch out or
gained labor. have gone over every
inch OF the ground, and assure you
men that the general strike order will
be obeyed to the letter Our financial
resources are in good shape. and we
viii pay strike benefits from now on.
II you remain steadfast. victory and
garlands will be yours"
Secretary John Williams followed
Dir. Shafer. He told Of the support
that has been offered the association
by union men from all over the coun-
try Yesterday. he said, he had re-
ceived telegram from the White
Rats OF New York. in which that or
eanization offered to donate per-
centage Of their earnings for the strike
fund and also to give performances
for the benefit Of the strikers in all
parts OF the country. Members of the
Bricklayers' Union had voluntarily do
mated a generous sum for the strike
and also announced that they would
assess their members 20 per cent. OF
their earnings for aiding the strike.
This, 1t was estimated, would bring in
$1,000 a month.
BY Monday OF next week the Anal
gamated Association expected to show
its hand in an unexpected quarter. The
onicials Of the organization decline to
even intimate what this means, but
promise that there will be develop
ments OF an interesting character by
that time. In this connection, It is
said, that upwards of 80 per cent. Of
the men employed in the Carnegie
mills are union at heart.
eompers Declines To Speak.