The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-08-06
CONFERENCE FAILED.
Executive Board Holds Meeting and
Issues Statement.

New York, Aug. 3-Another effort
to perfect movement for peace be-
tween the great army of steel work
ers and the giant corporation which
employs it, has failed and tonight the
conflicting sides are as sharply and
widely divided as ever. The leaders
Of either side met here again this
morning and after a day of fruitless
conference and discussion parted in
a spirit that shows no tinge of con-
Citation. Neither side would surren.
der a position or concede a point in
the dispute in which they are invol-
we'd and present indications point to
a renewal, with vigor, of the struggle.
The first conference of the day was
between President Shaffer and 10 of
his associates on the executive board
of the Amalgamated association and
a group of officials Of the United
States Steel corporation headed by
J. P. Morgan and President Schwab.
At the end of an hour the conferees
parted, having failed to reach an
agreement.
The second conference was partici-
pated in only by the officials of the
Amalgamated association. 1t was a
secret session lasting for over two
hours, at the close of which the fol
lowing statement was given to the
press:
I'VE, the members of the executive
board of the Amalgamated Associa-
ton of Iron, Steel and Tin workers,
considering it incumbent upon us to
enlighten the public through the press
with reference to the present rela-
tons between the strikers and the
Steel corporation, present the follow
ing statement:
The officials of the United States
Steel corporation instead of resum-
ing negotiations where they suspend
ed at the conference held on July IL,
12, and 10, have withdrawn the prop
-ositions made at that time and are
now offering much less than they
agreed to sign for them"
The statement then goes into great
detail as to propositions submitted
by both sides.
1t is learned tonight that no time
will be lost by the Amalgamated as
ISOLATION in completing it's plans for
continuation OF the struggle and a
meeting of the executive board will
be held at headquarters tomorrow for
this purpose. 1t is considered prob
able by all interested that the strike
order will become general, calling out
union men in the National Steel com
pany, Federal Steel company and Ma
tional Tube company. Nothing def
mite, however, can be known until af-
ter the meeting tomorrow All work
ers seen tonight are confident that
the order will be issued at once and
expect response to be general and
hearty.
That officials of the United States
Steel corporation have been prepar-
ing for this eattle was made apparent
during the afternoon. It was learn
ed on the best Of authority that an
attempt is to be made at once to
break the strike by importation of
%non-union men into all idle mills.
One of the officials of the companies
now involved said that SO far as furn-
ishing skilled men for the idle plants
was concerned it is only necessary to
distribute the skilled workers in the
present.. non-uniOn mills to all the
plants and make them general in
structors Of green hands, to soon de-
velop more of this class of trades
men. The American Sheet Steel COM
pany,; which decided to start Hyde
Park mill last week, but postponed
action pending result Of the confer
ence in New York, has issued orders
to prepare to start this mill early next
week. It was said also that some
of the skilled men from the Scottdale
mills will be sent into other plants
of the company now rendered idle by
the strike, and by their aid and that
of men taken from the Vandergrift
mills, 1t Is expected that the Sheet
Steel company will be able to- make
IL good showing before long. The Of
ficials realize, however, that they
have a dihicult problem on their
hands and express fear for the out