The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-31
GREAT STEEL STRIKE ON
The Order to Quit Work Generally
Obeyed by the Men.
EVEN NON-UNION MILLS CLOSED

From West Virginia to Illinois Every
to Shut Down - Nearly 100000 Men
Were Affected by the Strike Order -
Employers Say They VIII Not Yield.
Pittsburg, Penn. - After a three
days session the conference between
representatives of the American Sheet
Steel, American Steel Hoop and Amer
lean Tin Plate, subsidiary companies
of the United States Steel Corpora
ton, and the General Executive Board
of the Amalgamated Association OF
Iron, Steel and Tin Workers, ad-
tourned finally without reaching an
agreement. Less than an hour later
President Shaffer, of the Amalgamated
Association, had wired the following
order to all the Amalgamated lodges
in the tin plate, steel hoop and sheet
steel mills of the country:
Notify your men that the mill is on
a strike, and will not work on Mon
day, July TO-"
Reports received from all sources
connected with the strike Of the steel
workers indicate that the strike order
was generally obeyed. The number Of
men who went out Is $4,000.
Reports from all the towns in West
ern Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Vir-
yinia, Illinois and Indiana, where the
plants of three combines are located.
are that q general shutdown took
place.
The strikes occurred in the following
places in Pennsylvania: Pittsburg, Al
legheny, McKeeSport, Johnstown, Can
nonsburg, Newcastle, Ellwood City,
Apollo, New Kensington, Hyde Park,
Leechburg. Salisbury. Sharon, Green
vile, Carnegie, CHARTERS.
In Ohio the "struck" towns are New
Philadelphia, Piqua, Irondale, Lisbon,
Cambridge, Cleveland, Niles, Canton,
Bridgeport, Youngstown, Mingo juno
ton, Wellsville and Martins Ferry.
In Indiana the tied-up plants are at
Ellwood, Anderson, Gas City, Muncie
and Atlanta. Other places are Joliet,
ILL.,; Muskegon, Mich, and Cumber-
land, Md.
The American Steel Hoop Company's
supposedly non-union mill, known as
the Painter mill, in this city, was
closed in all it's branches. The tie-up
was said to have been a surprise to
the owners and officials. The other
non-union plant known as the Lindsay
and McCutcheon mill, in Allegheny,
was shut down completely in the pud-
ding and bar mills.
The Amalgamated also added two
mills to it's list, both Of which were
claimed by the companies to be beyond
the reach Of organization. When the
William Clark Sons Company mill,
which operated all day under non
union auspices, came to shift turns at
oight, none of the skilled men reported
for duty, and the plant had to close
down.
Later the following report was re-
ceived from Monessen"; concerning a
mill considered by the manufacturers
unexceptionally loyal: '"The Monessen
steel hoop plant is closed and has been
organized by the district delegates of
the Amalgamated Association"
The conquest Of these two plants
Is considered by the association people
as an instance Of their strength.
While all the mills Of the United
States corporation are included in the
general conflict, the three companies
named are the first attacked
President Shaffer, representing the
strikers, said:
1F hn o1 tod
Association has been persistently mis-
represented. We do not ask the as
sistance Of the manufacturers In
unionizing the plants now being op-
Grated non-union. All we ask Is that
the three companies sign the scales
for all mills, whether non-union or
union, thus preventing discrimination
In favor of non-union plants during
dull times, and that all agreements
now in force between the companies
and the men binding the latter not
to join any labor organization by can
celled. In other words, We ask only
to be let alone in the matter Of organ
ization."
Vice-President Warner Arms, of the
American Tin Plate Company, said:
The question Oh which the dis
agreement took place was whether the
Amalgamated Association could force
US to work all our plants under a
union agreement, whether they were
union or not. We felt that demand
to be unjust"
When President Shaffer was in
formed Of the granting Of the advance
to the Mckeesport tube workers, he
said: Il anticipated such action on
the part of the manufacturers, and
have warned our men to guard against
being blinded by such dust-throwing
methods. 1t is nevertheless victory
for labor.
II expect that similar advances will
be given to the men in other works
of the United States Steel Corporation
that have not been affected by the
strike order, in the hope that the work
ers may refuse to come out should
we decide to extend the strike to all
the plants Of the corporation"
Asked IL the association can stand
long strike, President Shaffer said:
I'VE have a larger defense fund
than most of our members even sup
pose. We have been accommodating 1t
for years, and we will not need to levy
any strike assessment for months.
When we do we are happy in the
assurance that thousands Of our men
in the Independent plants will be
ready to help us. Remember we have
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