New-York tribune., 1901-04-18
STEEL STRIKE IN BALANCE
THE AMALGAMATED ASSOCIATION DE-
PEAR TO FAVOR PEACE
IBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBuNE.I

TBT TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNEl
Pittsburg April 17-Strkers are guarding the
Wood plant of the American Sheet Steel Com
pany at McKeesport day and night. to inter
cepr new men should they be brought to the
works to take their places The advisory board
of the Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel
and Tin Plate Workers has been in session ali
dav and until late tonight. discussing the ad-
visa bility Of caHing every union workman Of
the United States Steel Corporation from work.
At the close of the session tonight President ].
Schaffer said that conciliatory tactics be-
ing adopted. and the probabilities of a general
strike more remote than at any time since
the McKeesport were discharged.
This is due the interest Colonel G.. Watson
French. vice president OF the Republic Iron and
Steel Company, has taken in the strike and he
has offered solution of the problem. His con-
Germ secured concession from the Amalga-
. mated Association recently in being allowed to
operate its mills without a stop from July 1
until the rate of wages is fixed Mr.. Schaf
fer admitted that if general strike is to he
called il will not be ordered for several days
until expression of opinion is gathered from
officers Of the local lodges throughout the coun-
try The board in the session was strongly In
favor of general strike.
The session was taken up to-day with listen
ing to the arguments of John Jarrett, tise rep
reSentatlTe or the American Sheet steel COM
pany who is also an ex-president Of the Anal
gamated Association. He alleges the company
has file in New-York a contract by which
tire NcKeesport workers agreed that they would
Join a union during the life of the contract.
This document he has sent for to exhibit to the
advisory board. Messages from all over the
country are pouring in on the Amagamated AS
sociaton to avoid general strike at all hazards.
The American Sheet Steel Company officials
deny they making effort to start their
mills with new workmen- They also say they
Will do nothing to conciate the Amalgamated
Association beyond offering places to the men
who have quit work, excepting or two. and
these may he taken hack If they will renounce
affliation with the union. If this stand is con-
unued ii will force general strike, and il is
intinnated that Colonel French will his eff
forts toward allowing the men organize or
not organize as they may wish. The Amalga-
mated Association is expected to formulate a
demand soon to the effect that the embargo be
taken off the Carnegie and that they be
permitted to join the orgnization ANY man
dong so now. and II becomes known is i'm
meoiately discharged.
A oelligerent move has been made by the
Sheet company by posting notices in the mills
mat the men who failed to report for work on
1hursday, April is. could get their money at
the once and consider themselves DISCHARGED
HAS NO FEAR OF A GENERAL. STRIKE
one Of the high officials of the American Shoe,
SteeI company said yesterday that they had NO
1ear OF general strike throughout the pIants of
ihe United States Steel Corporation arising from
present. oilTculty az Mckeesport, Penn He