The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-08-16
DENIED BY BOTH SIDES
Men Continue to Come Outbreak
Made in West By
Joliet.

being waged against the United States
Steel corporation by the Amalgamat-
ed association of Iron, Steel and Tin
workers, but their state is problemati-
cal. Neither side will admit that
there has been a single step taken to-
ward bringing about a settlement or
that there is any prospect of an ex-
change of pace propositions. B. NJ.
Caldwell, formerly a mill owner Of
Mingo Junction, is known to have had
a conference with strike leaders with
a view to sketching a basis Of settle
ment which he plans to place before
the officials of the Steel corporation.
He is believed to be the mysterious
man who conferred with Shaffer for
more than two hours at strike head
quarters today, although the latter
said later that he had not seer Mr..
Caldwell for months. Both sides Wig
orously denied that they had either
made overtures or received proposals,
but it is known positively that some
plan is under consideration. Mr..
Caldwell is acting independently and
does not represent either manufacture
ers or men.
No expression from him was OBJ
tanned and none of the terms that
have been considered. 1t is believed
that under certain circumstances the
contending sides could be brought to-
gether and a settlement effected but
whether such a. thing will come to
pass remains to be seen. President
Shaffer in a significant statement
made at noon today said that person
ally he was for peace and that he was
fighting only because he was on the
defensive and forced to fight. Mean
time the contest between the two great
interests is being waged with vigor
and slightly varying fortune.
Three hundred men employed at the
Seamless Tube plant at McKeesport,
an auxiliary Of the National Tube com
pany, threw down their tools and
joined the strikers.
It is said they quit because they
would not handle %non-union made
material. During the day the strikers
kept close watch on the plants that
are being operated with non-union
men and also kept alert pickets around
the Carnegie mills and works that are
completely closed down There were
few developments and except in the
instances enumerated there have been
no changes in the general situation.
Good order was general throughout
all the strike districts.
President Shaffer and his associates
had a busy day at strike headquarters.
They were on hand early and with a
dead line" that kept the third floor
of the Bissell block clear of all in
truders, went into conference with a
man who is believed to be Mr.. Cald-
well, who has come into the breach
with a peace plan. President Shaffer
did not appear until shortly after
noon when he made this statement to
newspaper
Il will say officially that the Anal
gamated association has submitted
no proposition to the Steel corpora
ton, nor has the Steel corporation Of
fered any proposition directly to the
Amalgamated association. We have
not heard from the corporation official
ly since our last conference in New
York, | will say, however, that certain
men are interfering in this matter,
and interfering with our fight. They
had better keep out of it, or they
will get the worst of it. Personally,
/ wish the fight were settled, but nov
that we are into the fight, and called
upon to defend ourselves, we are fight
ing successfully. In view Of the new
plan for a settlement / can assure
you that nc representative of the Steel
corporation has been to these head
quarters. The statement in the morn
ing papers that there is a movement
on foot to depose me, and that we are
not working in harmony is a lie."
Mr.. .Shaffer did not name the men
he charged with u~nwarranted
interference in the affairs of the or
ganization, but former President NJ.
NJ. Garland is believed to be n of
The number.
Later Ia the day Michael Kelly,
representing the Amalgamated asso-
:iation lodge Of Milwaukee and Sam
,el Adams Of Joliet lodge, We're clos
ted with the advisory board. They
nade al EXTENDED statement as to the
circumstances under which their or
|al3sations failed to SO out and It is