Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-15
COMBINES CLASH
Organized LaborAgainst
Steel Trust.
BOTH ARE DETERMINED
Workmen Say Principle, Not
Pay, is Their Object.
MANY MILLS CLOSE DOWN
President Shaffsr Satisfied With
the Outlook.
MANY MILLS CLOSE DOWN
ROBABLE EFFECTS S

PITTSBURG, Pa, July 15-The strike of
the members of the Amalgamated Associa-
ton employed in the tin plate sheet and
hoop mills, which was ordered Saturday
night as result Of the disagreement be-
tween the conferees of the United States
Steel Corporation and the AmalGamated
Association. was generally observed in the
Pittsburg district this morning. At the
mills. where the strike order extended, the
skilled workmen. who are under the con-
trol of the union. failed to put in an ap-
pearance, or, if they did go to the mills, it
was merely as spectators and with no in
tention of working. Early reports received
at the general offices of the Amalgamated
Association were meager Of details but
indicated that the strike order was being
observed at all mills of the tin plate sheet
and hoop combines.
A Strong Card in Reserve
President Shaf"r is IN communication
with lodge officials at all these plants and
h is confident that the association will make
such strong showing on this preliminary
suspension oi work that a general strike of
all the mills of the United States Steel
Corporation will not be necessary This
the Amalgamated president has up his
sleeve and which he has threatened to play
If an early adjustment of the difficulty is
not made
This strike bears resemblance to the
historical Homestead strike In 1892 in that
1t is not question of wages, but of recog-
milton Of the Amalgamated Association
The association insists upon unonizing all
the plants of the three companies in ques-
ton. The manufacturers refuse to grant
this demand and say that the individual
contracts with wOrkmen. which are in
force at a number of the plants must
stand
ObeyinR the Order.
Ihe painter mills of the American Steel
Hoop company on the south side are shut
down The men have joined the Anal
gamated Association, and this morning not
one of the workmen, save four or five
Hungarians and six boys. showed up. 1t is
estimated that between seven hundred ard
eight hundred men are out
The management refuses to talk. In the
mill office all was excitement this morn
ing Telephones were kept busy and mes
sengers were kept running
The Hungarians were hauling away fin
ished material and the boys were working
in the machine shops, the only depart
ment in the mill where a wheel IS turn
ing.
The strikers are keeping away from the
plant and there is not a person lettering
about the place. Everything is unusually
quiet
The tin mill at Monessen, Pa. which is
nOn-union. was running usual today
The Lindsay & McCutcheon plant Of the
American Steel Hoop Company In Allie
rbep fS al
nongaheIa plants of the American Tin
Plate Company are closed down.
The Painter and Lindsay and McCutcheon
plants have been looked upon by the Off
cials of the United States Steel Corpora>
tion as the strongholds of non-unionism in
the hoop company The prompt action of
President Shaffer in thus early forcing the
fighting and carrying it into the enemys
camp was looked upon as evidence that the
strike will be one of the most spirited of
Pittsburgs history.
President Shaner Pleased
President Shaffer was pleased with the
reports from the two strongholds, and he
declared that not wheel would turn In
either the Painter or Lindsay and Nc
CutCheOn works until the strike was set
tied President Shaffer said that the Pain
ter plant was pivotal with respect to the
tlHtr NoN-uniOn plants OF the Steel Hoop
Company, and that the men elsewhere had
promised if the Painter plant would join
the strike movement there would be no
trouble organizing the remainder of the
plants He said that there was no ques-
lon that the men would respond. they
nave been anxious to join the general
moVeme mt and were held in check and kept
at work by the direction of the Amalga-
mated officials
Will Fight Until Doomsdny.
President Shaffer said that the move
ment would be carried to the other plants
not now recognized by the combine I'M
der the wing of the associat ton. He looked
Tor general response to his strike order
as the men have been awaiting just such
a command since July l. He declared that
the men were prepared to fight IL out on
the original lines until doomsday"
In certain circles quiet interest is
manifested in the effect the strike may
have upon the Carnegie industries espe-
eially the steel mills at Homestead. These
mills are generally supposed TO be nom
union But the same was thought of other
mills, until they suddenly popped out as
pretty well unionized. There have been
recent visits of Amaga mated officials to
Homestead that at this time are some
thrown out by Amalgamated men within
the past few days that when the associa-
tion felt the need of showing its strength
the steel combine folks would be amazed
Aside from any interest the Amalgamated
people may have In Homestead. 1t may be
possible that the American Federation OF
Labor has intrenched itself there. OF
course. there may be nothing in the af
fair but talk. but of talk there certainly
Is more than a little
Strike Leaders Satisfied.
AT the headquarters of the Amalgamated