Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-05
PREPARING FOR WAR
President Shaffer Says Strike Will Be
Ordered This Week.
he TALKS OF RECENT CONFERENCE
Rumor That Negotiations May Be
Resumed With Employers.
WORK OF ORGANIZATION

PITTSBURG, Pa, August 5.-Now that
the suspense induced by the uncertainty of
the outcome in the strike negotiations is
over, there is less excitement here than
there was last week and the people are
looking matters Squarely in the face
Everybody is watching President Shat
fer, as it is recognized that from him will
emanate the next move in this great strug-
gle. Speculation is now rife when h Will
issue the order for general strike Of all
the Amalgamated men employed in the
mills of the United States steel CORPORA
tion's plants.
Although President Shaffer did not say
so today, he explained not long ago that
before an order for strike was issued a
circular letter would be sent out from the
general offices to all lodges of the organi-
Zation explaining the situation. giving a
complete report of all that had occurred
between the members of the executive
board and the officials of the trust; of the
earnest attempts made by the association
to bring about an honorable settlement and
their failure.
Circular Will Go to All Mills.
This circular will be read in lodge meet
irgs in order that the men in the mills can
have a clear and comprehensive insight of
the entire matter and act intelIigently
With this information in their hands the
men will be able to see that the officers
have acted carefully and with an earnest
desire to avoid an open rupture The strike
order will then follow, and will be taken
up without the least misunderstanding on
the part of the members. Doubt is ex-
pressed in some quarters that the strike
Will spread further.
1t is suggested that the employees of the
Federal Steel Company National Steel
Company and National Tube Company are
at the present time the strikers main
source of revenue, and to call them out
would weaken the association in its fight
by depriving it of the funds necessary to
carry on the struggle. Another reason
given was that the Amagamated Associa-
tion having signed contracts with all these
companies for one year beginning with
July 1, 1901. would. by violating these con-
tracts. give Mr.. Morgan and his associates
trump cards they would not hesitate to
use to the best advantage.
An intimatiOn has been made that there
IS still one hope of ending the strike soon,
and that is by the return to work of the
men at the Painter, Lindsay and Nc
Cutcheon and Clark mills These mills
out when the strike was ordered and they
are now members of the Amalgamated As
sociation. In the efforts to secure an ad-
justment of the strike however. their
status has been an embarrassing factor 1t
Is said that If the men in these mills desire
TO go 10 work there will be no objection by
the association. The immediate effect
would be TO eliminate them from considera-
t1on of any basis of settlement Such a
course would leave the Amalgamated ofii-
cials in a position to accept Mr. Morgan's
terms with honor
Pittsburg Feels the Strike
The steel strike, though but begun. is
already being felt in Pittsburg. Many
leading business houses have found bust
ness dropping off so as to make the re-
moFal of clerks imperative
one department store last Saturday laid
OF twenty-five girls. and at the same time
gave notice that if the strike was not
settled by next Saturday it would likely he
necessary TO lay off more. Finances also
suffered. On two days last week the clear
ing house reports showed a decrease COM
pared with last year. These were the only
two days of the year whose clearings did
not exceed figures of the corresponding
days last year.
In the fight is without new features.
Clark's mill. 3Jth street is in the same
condition today as it was two weeks ago.
The strikers are keeping away from the
place and everything is orderly. This
morning about loo men applied at this mill
and the upper and lower Union mills for
employment. Among them were MANY
from this section, but the majority were
from out of town. There were all classes
of mechanics from common laborers to
skilled men The management of the Clark
mill anticipates trouble, and nothing
will be done until the extensive repairs be-
Ing made are completed. This will be in
about ten days.
Views of the Strikers.
The strikers were seen this morning but
they knew nothing new. Some of them
said they did not expect anything to turn
up for at least a week
The general opinion in Lawrenceville is
that .le men in the Upper and Lower
Union mills will not join the strikers 1t
Is : "a by the merchants that the men are
satisfied and will not throw up their posi-
tions, as they are making too much
money.
AT the Lindsay and McCutcheon mill Al
lesheny, everything is quiet. Not a wheel
Is turning in the plant, and all the work
that is going on is some repairs Almost
all the men who left the mill at the open
ing Of the strike have gone 20 .ork in IN
dependent mills.
SITUATION At wELLsVILLE.
Arrest of Rioters Dampens the ArEor
of the Men.