The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-08-07
/ Crisis in the Steel Strike.
The Conference Saturday Failed 10
Come to Terms.

UUifiU ~ lltSa
New York, August 3.-Another
effort to perfect a permanent peace pe-
tween the great army of steel work
ers and the giant corporation Wnlcn
employs it has failed, and tonight the
conflicting sides are as sharply ana
widely divided as ever. The leaders on
either side met here again this morn
ing and after a day OF fruitless confer
ence and discussion parted IN spirit
that shows no tinge Of conclIatlon.
Neither side would surrender posi-
ton or concede a point IN the, olspute
in which they are involved and present
indications point to renewal OF Vne
struggle with vigor.
The first conference of the day was
between President Shafer and twelve
of his associates on the executive
board of the .Amalgamated Assocla-
tion, andg group Of officials of the
United States Steel Corporation, head
ed bv J. Pierpont Morgan and Presi-
dent Charles M. Schwab. At the end
of an hour the conferees parted, hav-
ing failed to reach an agreement. The
second conference was participated IN
only by the officials of the Amalgamat-
ed Association. It was a secret ses-
sion lasting for over two hours, at the
close of which the following statement
was given to the press:
eve, the members Of the executive
board of the Amalgamated Association
of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers. con-
sidering it incumbent upon Us to en-
tighten the public through the press,
with reference to the present rela-
tions between our Association and the
United States Steel Corportion, pre-
sent the following statement:
"The officials Of the United States
Steel Corporation instead of resum-
ing negotiations where they were sus-
pended at the conference held on July
il. u and 13. have withdrawn the
propositions made at that time and
are now Offering much less than they
agreed to sign for then. The follow
ing is the proposition which the Uni
ted States Steel Corporation made to-
day as its ultimatum. It will be OBJ
served that the premable states sim
ply that the United States Steel Cor
poration officials will advise settle
ment by the underlined companies:
8. Preamble, conditions under
which we are willing to advise set
tlement of the labor difficulties:
8. Tin Plate Company should pro
ceed under the contract signed with
the Amalgamated Association as of
July l, 1901.
American Steel Hoop Company
should sign the scale for all the mills
ewned by the American Steel Hoop
Company that were signed for last
q American Sheet Steel Company
should sign the scale for all the mills
of this company that were signed for
last year except the Old Meadow Mill
and the Salisbury mills
Eve desire to preface our PROPOSE
tion by directing attention to the fact
that it is modification of that which
was offered originally. At the last
conference, as at those preceding 1t,
we required the signature of the scales
for all the mills owned and operated
by the United States Steel Corpora
ton, while in the proposition given
below we ask that the scales be signed
for none but those mills which are
organized and where the men ceaslng
to work have signifed their desire to
be connected with the Amalgamated
Association.
s'This modification has been made
because the trust officials declared that
we wished to force men into the or
ganization aginst their will and desire.
We, therefore, asked that the scale be
signed for only those men who desired
it.
"Now comes the proposition OF the
Amalgamated Association:
Eve the members of the Amalga-
mated Association. hereby present the
following proposition as reply to that
received from the United States Steel
Corporation:
"Sheet Mills-All mills signed for
last year, with the exception of Salts
bury and Scottdale, and with the ad-
dition of McKeesport and Wellsville.
Hoop Mills-All mills now known
to be orenized. viz: Youngstown,
Girard, Greenville. Pomeroy, Warren.
Lindsay, McCutcheon, Clark. Bar
Mill, Monessen. Mingo, Pinch. g.
inch and hoop mills of the Cleveland
and Rolling Mill Company, tin mills,
all mills except Monessen.
Note: Ali other matters Of detail
to be left for settlement by conference.
eve furthermore wish to state that
our purpose in coming to New York
was not because we doubted our presi
dent, T. J. Shaffer. and our secretrv,
John Williams. who have our conf
dence and endorsement, but in the
hope OF obtaining settlement of the
strike.