The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-05
Amalgamated President Will
Order a General Strike.
Wants to Talk 1t Over With
Gompers First.
ALL EYES ON SHAFFER.
Everybody Watching to See
What the President
OF the Amalgamated AssOcia-
tiOn Will Do Next.

Pittsburg Aug. 5.-President Shaffer
arrived at the Amalgamated associa-
tion headquarters at 11.45 a. m. and 10
minutes later called the newspaper men
to his private Office. When asked if
settlement could have been reached IN
New York Saturday had they waived
their rights at the Painter. Lindsay and
AIcCutcheon and the Wellsville plants,
he said:
The Amalgamated association could
have settled in New York if they had
given up these mills, but we could not
do that Just as long as We can hght we
are going to fight for them Iney are
as much of US now as any of the other
lodges. Their fight is ours and our
fight is theirs"
when will you issue the call for
general striker" was the next question
put to the president, and his answer
was:
within a week.
Can you say how many men VIII be
Il don't know" said he. how many
men the strike order viii affect"
win the board be called for any
NO. the board has been dismissed
and win not be called unless the other
eide wants peace. They have declared
war"
President shaffer said that the state
ment in the papers of his stop off at
Washington was true, but that he did
American Federation of Labor as he
was not in town. Secretary Morrison
was seen, however, and he assured Mr..
Shaffer that the Federation of Labor
would give its financial support.
Il have requested President Gompers
to come to Pittsburg this week for a
conference" said President Shaffer,
and / expect him here"
It is thought that most of the vice
presidents have left for their homes,
as only four or fve of them visited the
association rooms during the morning.
ALL EYES ON SHAFFER-
Pittsburg, Pa. Aug. 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 peo-
pie are looking matters squarely in the
face.
Everybody is watching President
Shaffer as 1t is recognized that from
him viii emanate the next move in this
great struggle He was at his office
early this morning, but refused to say
anything. Notwithstanding a good
nights rest. he looked haggard and
careworn- He showed that his expert
ences of the past few weeks are telling
upon him. Speculation is now rife as to
when he viii issue the order for a gen
eral strike of all the Amalgamated men
employed in the mills of the United
States Steel corporations plants Al
though President Shaffer did not say so
before an order for a strike was issued
a circular letter would be sent out
from the general officers to all lodges
or the organization explaining the sit
uaton, giving complete report of all
that had occurred between the mem
bers of the executive board and the
officials of the trust: of the earnest at
tempts made by the association to
bring about an honorable settlement
and their failure. This circular will be
1rf4cr
the men In the mills can have a clear
and comprehensive insight of the en-
tire matter and act intelligently. With
this Information in their hands the men
viii be able to see that the officers have
acted carefully and with an earnest de-
sire to avoid an open rupture The
strike order viii then follow and will
be taken up without the least nisun-
derstanding on the part of members.
Doubt is expressed in some quarters
that the strike viii spread further IT
IS suggested that the EMPLOYEES Of tie
Eederal Steel company, National Steel
company and National Tube connanx1
are at the present time the strikers
main source Of revenue and to cau
them out would weaken the assocfat flor,
IN It's ngnt by depriving it of the funds
necessary to carry on the struggle An
other reason given was that the Anal
gamated association having signed con
tracts with all these companies for one
year beginning with July I. 1901. would.
by violating these contracts give Mr.
Morgan and his associates trump cards
they would not hesitate to use to the
best effect.
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 NJ
Cutcheon and Clark mills These mills
were non-union last year. The me-,
went out when the strike was ordered
and they are members of the Amalea-
mated associa ton In the effortse -
secure an adjustment of the strike
however their status has been an en-
Darrasslng factor. 1t is said that 81
men Of these mills desire to go to WORK
there viii be no objection by the asso-
ciation- The immediate effect vvo,,la ~
70 eliminate rrom certain of anv basis
OF settlement Such course would
leave the Amalgamated officials In a
position to accept Mr. Morsanss +e--,,,s
Win honor. The steel strike thonerb
burg - Is
Many leading business houses have
found business dropping off 50 aS -
make the removal of clerks imperative
one department store last Saturday
lana on 20 girls and at the same tfr,a
gave notice that if the strike were NOT
settied BY next Saturday 1t would lilza-
Az pc necessary to lay off more Finar
ces also suffered On two davs las+
week the clearing house reports show
eQ a decrease compared with last 1aar
These were the only two davs ~ ~
year whose clearings did nof e,-,--1l
nsuhes or the comparing days last
year. 1S'
TO OPEN NON-UNTON.
.Elttspurg. Aug "a Leechburg, Pa
1t ! o'clock today the plant Of the