The Topeka state journal., 1901-07-01
BATTLE OF TlTANS
Amalgamated Association Of
Iron, Steel and Tin Workers
Inaugurates Conflict With the
Steel Colossus.
ONLY A BEGINNING.
Strike Ordered at Present In
wolves but 200 Men.
Number May Reach Hundreds of
Thousands Before the End.

Pittsburg, July 1.-As a result Of the
refusal of the representatives of the
American Sheet Steel company and the
American Steel Hoop company, sub
sidiary companies of the great United
States Steel corporation, to sign the
workers new scale at Saturdays con-
ference, circulars We're sent out from
the national headquarters of the Anal
gamated Association of Iron, Steel anl
Tin workers yesterday and today de-
claring a strike at ali the plants of the
two companies. The great strike is
now on, but it will be several days be-
fore its actual extent is known. At the
outset, however, over 200 men are in
voIved.
The American Steel Hoop company's
main offices are in this city The COM
pany has three non-union plants in this
city, and a non-uniOn plant at Mon
essen and one at DuncanVille, though
the employees of the latter are ready
for organization as soon as the Anal
gamated people will take them in
Other plants of the company are
claimed by the Amalgamated people as
union.
What the strike just inaugurated
may eventually lead to is problenaat-
ical Three months ago when a strike
occurred in the Wood plant of the
American Sheet Steel company at Nc
KeespOrt, because the company refused
to allow its men to become members of
tn Amalganated association, President
Shaffer threatened if the McKeesport
strikers could not win with their own
strength he would order a strike in
every plant OF the company. If the lat
ter would not yield he would then call
out the union men in every plant OF
the United States Steel corporation.
Such a, course would result in the big
gest strike the country has ever seen,
involving several hundred thousand
men,
For the first few weeks the situation
will not show the strength of the as
sociation. Almost all the plants of the
company, union and non union, will be
compelled to shut down during the
early part of July to give the men 4
rest They have been working steadily
since the first of the year, many of
them without a weeks cessation. Union
and non-union alike, they are den and
ing a short vacation, and the prediction
is made that the companies Will be I'M
able to keep any one at work for two
or three weeks after tomorrow. The
heat is intense, and the men, one vice
president said today, are almost in a
state of revolt.
1t will be after perhaps the first of
August when the combine makes a Sc
rious attempt to start up in full Then
the real battle will begin, if no settle
ment has been reached at that time.
The company cannot well delay oper-
ating longer than that, on account of
the present flood of orders. In fact, the
urgent orders now on IuG DOCKS can
| scarcely wait through July. Thus the
association has almost a month more
to prepare for the coming struggle It
is the boast of the Analgamated Off
cials that by that time they will con-
troll 80 per cent. of the capacity of the
combinations plants
SHAFFER'S PLANS
Gradually the plans of President T.
J. Shaffer, of the Amalgam ated associa-
ton are being uncovered. Since the
trouble in the w. Devices Wood mills
in McKeesport a few months ago the
Amalgamated association has been ac-
| lively engaged IN breaking up the pres
ent arrangement of the combine in Op-
Grating part of their plants with non
union men and the other with union
men Mr.. Shaffer says that if this is
not checked the life of the Amalgam-
ated association is threatened, for the
combine viii always work their union
mills last, ami the union men will be
! sufferers by this discrimination.
1t was believed by the AmaIgamated
association that the promptness with
which the sheet steel combine came
to their terms in the McKeespOrt
trouble and allowed the union to exist
in that plant would prove a boom to
further aggressive action on the part
of the organized workmen. Taking adj
vantage of the new United States Steel
corporation as the parent head of all
the other combines with which the
Amalganated association had to deal,
/ it was felt that a threatened strike of
all the union men in all branches of
the steel business would so frlShten
the combine officials that they would
give in and allow every one of the non
union plants to be unionlzed-
The strike order against the Ameri-
can Sheet Steel company has been or
dered because this portion of the Unit
ed Steel corporation has thus far stood
i out against the increase in union mills,
now recognized as union and to remain
So The American Steel Hoop company
| stands in the sane position. Thus is
arrayed against the union organization
| the two branches of the United States
| Steel corporation.
The scale for the American Tin Plate
company, also a part of the greater
/ CORPORATION, has been signed It is
! said, however, that in case the struggle
/ continues, the Amalgamated officials
| have the power to call out these tin
plate workers as a means of defense
| against the parent corporation, which
| they hold responsible for all disagree
ments.
The strike now threatened in the bar
mills, following strictly upon that Of the
| sheet mills, has therefore most serious
aspect and may spread to enormous pro-
portions. Indeed, it IS predicted that the
| gigantic struggle that has been talked
| of since the Incorporation of the U. s.
Steel corporation was formed, is on the
| ing much sooner than many believed
was proba bic.
NOT FOR WAGES.
The position that the greater COM
Independent plants from completely in
the battle.
The fight is not for wages, but for
organize tion- Either the Amalgamated
association must bow to the viii of the
greater combine, or else the greater
combine viii have to give up its nom
union mills.