Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-08-10
STRIKE ORDER ISSUED
Steel Men Told to Stop Work
After August 10.
NEW CASTLE MEN HAVE QUIT

President Shaffer ForestaIIed Clever
Trick Of National steel Company.
Strike Benefits From Now on-AId
From the White Rats.
Pittsburg, Aug. THE die Is cast.
President Shaffer issued the long
looked-for general strike order last
evening, to take effect after the last
turn of the mills on August 10. I'll
includes practically all Amalgamated
men of the steel corporation not now
on strike. and will be mailed to vice
presidents of the districts in which
there are mills operated by the Ma
tional Steel, National Tube and Fed
eral Steel companies.
The text of the call is as follows:
Brethren-The officials OF the United
States Steel Trust have refused 70 recog-
nize as union men those who are now
striving for the right TO organize The
executive board has authorized me TO
Issue call upon all Amalgamated and
other union men in name and heart to
join In the movement to fight for labor's
rights.
You will be told that you have signed
contracts. but you never agreed to sur
render these contracts to the United
States Steel Corporation. Its officers think
you were sold to them just as the mills
were. contracts and alI.
Remember, before you agreed to any
contract you took an obligation to the
Amalgamated Association. 1t now calls
you to help in this hour of need.
Unless the trouble settled on or before
Saturday, August 10. 1901 the mills will
close when the last turn is made on that
day.
T. J. sHAFFER.
The call 10 the men of the three
companies in the mills of which the
| association is strongest is expected to
be promptly responded to on Saturday,
which will swell the number OF Idle
men to 100000. 1t will practically sus.
| pend operations of the Federal Steel
company and cut of half the produc.
ton of the other two companies. At
the plant OF the National Tube COM
pany at McKeesport the organization
Is new. and the effect of the strike
order is uncertain.
President Sh er declined to say
whether the order was meant to go to
the union men in the Carnegie Steel
company, but ii is probable that they
will be expected to join in the strike.
An effort will also be made to hamper
the operations of the Anne, lean Steel
Wire and the American Bridge com.
panies, although there is no organiza-
ton among the plants Of the latter
concern.
At noon yesterday President Shat.
fer called out all the men employed
In the New Castle mills OF the Ma.
tional Steel company. They stopped
work at IL o'clock last night He
stated that his purpose In doing this
was that he had learned that the
trust has been piling up union made
bars In the old housings of the dis
mantled Jennings sheet mill for the
purpose of supplying the trade to the
non-union mills when tho plants were
shut down. About 1900 men are AT
fected by this, tho initial strike since
the failure OF the conference
In an address to the striking en-
| ployes Of the Painter Steel and Hoop
Mills last night, President Shaffer
said:
| Men OF Painters mill, the final test
between organized capital and or
ganized labor is now on. II 10 a fact
that last Saturday in the once OF ].
Pierpont Morgan In New York we
I
agreed TO desert you. We would not
| desert you, and we now ask you not
to desert us (cries OF mo. no'D. This
Is contest In which millions OF dol
lars are concentrated to crush out or
ganized labor. have gone over every
inch of the ground, and assure you
men that the general strike order will
be obeyed to the letter Our financial
resources are in good shape, and we
will pay strike benefits from now on
\ III you remain steadfast, victory and
garlands will be yours"
| Secretary John Williams followed
Mp. Shaffer. He told OF the support
that has been offered the association
by union men from all over the coun.
try. Yesterday, he said, he had r
ceived telegram from the Whit
Rats OF New York, in which that or
ganization offered 20 dona'e a per.
centage OF their earnings Tor the s'-ike
fund and also to give perfor ace
for the benefit Of the strikers in all
parts OF the country. Members OF tn,
Bricklayers' Union had voluntarily dc
mated generous sum for the strikt
and also announced that they wodl
assess their members 30 per cent. o!
their earnings for aiding the rike
This. Il was estimated, would bring In
} $1,000 a month.
BY Monday of next week the Anal
gameted Association expected to SHOW
It's hand In an unexpected quarter. The
omcials of the organization decline t.
even intimate what this means, but
; promise that there will be develop
ments Of an interesting character by
} that time. In this connection, 1t is
; said, that upwards OF 30 per cent. OF
, the men employed in the Carnegie
mills are union at heart.
eompsrs Declines To Speak.