Evening star., 1901-08-10

accepted by the strikers as favorable to
their cause and as containing the promise
sought, and which is in measure neces-
sary to the success of the strike.
THE force of Mr.. Gompers' Endorsement
of our just cause" said President Shaffer,
will be far more to us than Morgan's
5000 OOO, coo strike fund would be to the
steel trust. l am delighted with Mr.. Com
pers' statement, for he decided with us af-
ter carefully and judicially weighing all
the testimony"
Union Men in Carnegie Mills.
An ominous feature of the situation to-
day is the fact that the Amalgamated AS
socia ton has secured foothold in the
Carnegie mills, that have been free from
unionism since the Homestead riots. 1t
was thought impossible that the Amalga-
mated could get into the mills. 1t was an
nounced last night that forty-five men had
just been discharged from the Carnegie
mills for affiliating with the union, among
them the secretary of lodge of the Anal
gamated that had been secretly formed in
the mills.
1t cannot be ascertained to what extent
the Amalgamated has permeated the Car
negie mills. If they can be shut down by
Shaffer, the steel trust will suffer severe
blow, but well-informed persons here are
incredulous that this can be accomplished.
Summary of the Situation.
A careful survey of the situation at z
o'clock this afternoon warrants the con-
clusion that the Amalgamated may gain
two or three of the Carnegie mills, but that
the trust managers have firm grip on the
employees of the Homestead group, which
includes all the important mills on the
Monongahela below McKeesport. Yesterday
the superintendent of the United States
Steel Company began discharging all the
men employed in their mills who have been
attending lodge meetings. This included
few men at the upper Union and lower
Union mills at 10Th street. These mills are
also partly closed down for repairs In
sense this indicates a weakness Of the
trust, and it is true that the Amalgamated
Is probably stronger here than anywhere
else.
AS the time for the strike nears it can
not be learned that the union can expect
much from the non-union Carnegie mills.
Today Is pay day at Homestead, and s4O0,
600 was distributed to the men. This is the
largest pay day in months.
The workmen were never better satisfied.
They see before them years and years of
plenty Of work. They know this by the
contracts. They are happy and content
and never treated SO well in their lives.
Their employers have recently been max
ing special efforts In the Improvement OF
their public schools, in the perfecting of
the manual training schools for boys and
girls and the establishment of higher edu-
cational advantages, and, all in all, their
condition is better than they could expect.
Their children are going out in the world
and doing well. Their homes are as COM
Portable these of middle class mer-
chants. This refers, of course, to the high
class skilled worKmen who are asked to
go on strike. The logic of the situation
is against going out and the actual facts
seem to support the logic. If much union
ism exists in these mills it is not known.
Il it is found there in any quantity it will
be surprise, and if the men go out it will
be a deadly blow to the trust
N. o. M