Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-08-17

Michael r. Ttghe mt Chicago.
Michael F. Tighe. assistant secretary
of the Amalgamated Association, we'll
known in Wheeling, where he was at
one time president of the Trades As
sembly, was recently in Chicago en-
deayoring to induce the steel workers
of South Chicago to come out, and,
failing to do so, revoked the charters
of three lodges. Just as Mr.. Tighe was
leaving he was interviewed by a re-
porter from the Chicago News, which
says:
Disguised. trimming over with
charges of dlsloyalty and selnshness
equivalent to cowardice, Michael F.
Tighe, assistant secretary Of the Anal
gamated Association of Steel, Iron and
lin Workers, and personal representa-
tive OF President Shaffer. left Chicago
to-day.
Accompanying Tighe was Vice Pres
ident Davis, the only union steel worker
in South Chicago since the Pittsburg
visitor excluded the membership OF
the two local lodges from the Associa-
ton last evening. Both boarded the
train at Englewood for Joliet. wheri
they will ask the steel workers to show
where they stand In the present strug-
gle. From there they will proceed to
Milwaukee this evening on the SAINT
mission. Before shaking the dust OF
Chicago from his feet, Mr.. Tighe re-
counted to a reporter for the Daily
News. his experiences Of last evening
when he was compelled to expel 600
South Chicago members from the
Amalgamated Association.
"In all my experience of twenty-stx
years in labor organizations l never
saw a parallel CASE" he said. There
was a very small attendance at the
meeting last night, and those on hand,
although members of the organization
for years, were absolutely spiritless.
They are so dead to feeling from a
union standpoint that no effort of any
kind will be made to swing them into
line. All save vice-President Davis
are outside the pale Of unionism; 80
hopelessly non-union in spirit and SO
completely in the possession OF the
steel trust that the field will be sur
rendered to the corporation and no lon
ger given consideration by union men.
"Officials of the Amalgamated Asso-
citation would have been pleased had
the men of South Chicago Joined In the
strike. Now that the issue is closed
is can only be said that their stand
will have no material effect upon the
situation, beyond bringing contempt
Upon the steel workers Of South Chi
cago, particularly from the new MEM
bers and outside union organizations
that have shown their loyalty and de-
votion.
"Mr. Davis will remain vice-president
of the district regardless Of the ex-
VI lib iOd6Cs Ait WIZ now W
transfer his membership to some other
lodge in good standing. AS the steel
workers of South Chicago now stand
they are without identity and without
any working contract with their en-
ployer, except such terms as the trust
will toss to them temporarily as a sop.
l understand they are talking Of ap-
pealing to the next annual convention
for reinstatement. The revocation OF
their charter was constitutional. So
far as making appearance before the
convention is concerned, they may rest
assured they will get little sympathy
from the men they have abandoned at
this critical moment.
Am l disappointed? No. J am
never surprised nor disappointed in
anything that occurs in life. would
not guarantee that these men could
walk out and il fifteen minutes gain a
victory over the trust that is seeking
to curb our personal liberty by forbid
ding us to take advantage Of the pro-
lection OF organization. All perma-
nent Improvements and all important
development in civilization are secured
at the cost of sacrifice. History poiuts
out no other moral so strongly. main
tain that personal sacrifices are involv-
ed. The workman who has derived the
benefits Of an organization for years
should enter upon strike for the per-
petuation Of its existence with the same
spirit land zeal that : soldier goes to