Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-08-10
Two Important Moves in the
Great Steel Strike.
Steel 10. Orders Devices Wood Plant
at McKeesport Dismantlcd.
American Federation Of Labor pIcdqcs It's
Support to the Strikers.

Steel Corporation moved decisivcly in
IT'S strike campaign with a peremptory
order directing that the great Devices
Wood plant at McKeesport be dis
mantled and renewed to Kiskimenotas
Valley. President Gompers of the
American Federation of Labor. after
two days conference with President
Shaffer and his associates, issued a
formal statement, tonight. specifically
pledSing the Federation to the moral
and financial support of the Amalga-
mated. His written view of the train
Of events leading up to the industrial
quarrel sustainS the course of the
Amalgamated Association and declares
that nothing remains for labor but to
battle for the cause of unionism.
The official announcement of the or
der to dismantle the Devices Wood
plant came, this afternoon. The order
was surprise and McKeesport re-
ceived it at first with doubt Actual
preparations We're made later in the
day for the dismantling of the mill
piece by piece. The strikers heard the
order in defiance. They simply said
that ii showed that the Steel Corpora
ton was convinced that il could not
reopen the plant in the face of the OPP
position of the Amalgamated Associa-
ton. The strike leaders here said that
the order was bluff that had been
worked unsuccessfully before.
a representative of The Associated
Press showed District Manager Smith S
statement to President Shaffer.
Il have nothing to say about the or
der to dismantle the Devices Wood
plant" was all that he would say
The steel officials declined to give
any reason for the order. but it is
openly stated here that the pronounced
sympathy of citizens and city officials
at McKeesport with the strikers is
responsible for it. 1t is also said that
the plant of the National Tube Co. at
McKeespOrt will be abandoned ard the
old Carnegie plant for tube plant
at Conneaut. Ohio. revived.
The National Tube Co. has in con-
templation extensive improvements at
McKeesport. but it is now said that
owing to their disappointment at the
fact that their men have been drawn
into the Amalgamated dispute and the
policy of the people at Mckeesport.
they are seriously considering plan
to move.
The Devices Wood plant was founded
about 40 years ago and is one of the
best-known works in Pennsylvania. Its
wards and buildings cover between l.
and IA acres: it has employed 1900 men
at its busiest times and it's cost IS
placed at s5.0o0.ooo.
President Gompers was at the strike
ne adquarters again, this afternoon
with Secretary Morrison and was
Z, ,Ioseted with the advisory board OF
the Amalgamated FOR more than three
hours. Before he left the meeting he
promised to support the strike. AT 8
o'clock he gave out statement III
which he said:
Since the arrival Of Secretary Nor
riSon of the American Federation OF
Labor. and myself. we have made
thorough investigation of the present
strike. of its members formerly in the
employ of the United States Steel Cor
poration and its constituent branches.
the causes which led to the strike; the
present situation of the controversy;
and we unhesitatingly declare our
Judgment that the present position of
the Amalgamated Association is abso-
lutely justified and essential to its con-
tinUanCe and effectiveness AS union
OF tn. workers in the trade as well
as the protector of the rights and in
tere SITS Of it's members.
1T is true that the Amalgamated
Association in its first conferences
& sked that the United States Steel Cor
porat ton sign the union scale of wages
for all the mills operated. owned and
by that company. but it is
also true that the request was with
drawn and one substituted so that the
union scale should apply to those mills
only in which the members of the
Anna lgamated Association are EN-
ployed: in other words. which are well
known to be union mills. This the
United States Steel Co. refused to
insisting that the scale should
apply only to those mills which We're
union since last year. even refusing to
allow two mills to be included which.
by n species of hectoring and systemat-
ic opposition of the company. had be-
come non-union during the year.
Even the first demand for the scale
to be applied generally throughout the
Jurisdiction of the company was cons
for the obvious reason that
an employer should be willing to pay
a uniform wage to men who perform
like work: but realizing that demand
for those whom it did not fully repre-
sent would be weak. the Amalgamated
modified it's demand to the
extent already stated.
"It appears that the company took
the position it did with an avOwaI that
it would not allow the extension of the
union to nom -unionists. Such a posi-
lion and avOwal are tantamount to de-
claring that Notwithstanding the
growth of the craft. the organization
had reached a status beyond which it
could not extend.
Now. anyone at all familiar with
Industrial development and economic
are equally aware that
organized labor advances or recedes.
never stands still. 1t therefore follows
that if the trust by its great wealth.
can prevent the extension and growth
(COntinued on page o.