The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1901-07-19
The Steel Strike.

A. host the steel strike is a calamity Tor an
,oroorned No matter how peacefully II may De
oondncted it is certain to result in much hardship
"a ,oss and in a bitter feeling which oodes no
good to either party.
Thoro is no dispute as to the immediate cause
- tho etri,e 1t is not matter OF wages. NOT Is
Il ouestion of recognizing the union. Inc queS-
.;o e merely whether or not the steel companies
Iii ,nior,ze certain mills which have not miner
=. loo, ,rion though union men we're not barred
from them and union rates OF wages were pau,
-. -.,,ob circumstances un;ouization would
I'LL, moan that the steel companies wonld com
II tL'oi. frea worknen to join the Amalgamated
Association on pain of being deprived OF cnahce
n earn a living in the few mllis wnere Vhey nave
worked without antagonism to the union OF cu'''s
+be market price of labor. All o'her Poip'S ~
disnute might easily have been afranseu' o''' 'ne
Amalramated Association "oulo onei Nv 0o-Apto
IN this-though the comPanies
offered to un1onize some OF tie H'ii ,
non in all mills should be forced regard
80 -; dosira TO ioin the association. This
faot,rars would not agree to, and IN JUS
~ - NOT agree to- 1t would have been an
- t,,rarov on their part quite as indefenslole
-. Isol,,a refusal TO let those OF their en-
-, ,,I,o wished to Join the union They treated
,,,l,,aas "a free men, recognized the LABOR
ore,arz,tion fully, allowed il to dominate most Of
st.9n.;Ts ord only insisted that they would not
themselves become instruments q COERCION ~ the
l,as If rhe ass citation to force the minority WHO
,rofarrad 10 he free workers into the organization
or out of the steel business.
Tho only excuse which the union gives for tins
unreasonable an un American demand IS the chaFRe
that the manufacturers give these free mills pref
ororce IN the distribution of work and at slack
times force the men in the union mills to ldeness
This is denied by the companies.
Tho real reason for the stand for bsolute
uniopizatlon is more probably not an actual grleV
arce concerning the few free mills, but a determl
nation long cherished TO extend the organization
at favorable time and put the whole steel luuus'
try within its grasp necessary step 10 possloe
future contests over more serious and as YET un'
formulated demands. The business Is proltaole'
aud no manufacture wants to shut down. dFea'
,ironci,r interests want good market for the new
steel corporation securities and must also desire
ia avoid strike which is sure 10 be represented as
the effort Of the new trust 10 Cypress labor Many
considerations therefore, urge the companies TO
agree 10 any possible terms. on the other hand,
if thew Weld the point aud compel their free work
ers 10 ioin tie union they yield nearly everything
and NM the AmaIgamacd Association in far
stronger position to enforce any demands it may
make hereafter The extent vi the steel combina.
ton IS IN itself an Indictment 70 demagogues and
an invitation to excessive demands, and perhaps
only by resisting the present pressure can any
future freedom be secured. Organized labor seems
to have sought Mt the outset while the trust has
vet to overcome prejudice and commend itself to
public favor a contest TO who shall really con,
troll the properties, and naturally its first step Is to
force all employees of the trust into the union il