New-York tribune., 1905-11-26
BIG IRON TRADE WAR ON.
OPEN SHOPS THE ISSUE.
Labor Fight to the Finish VIII
Begin To-morro50 Morning.

The war between the Housesmths and Bridge
mems Union and the employers in the iron
trades will begin tomorrow, when the places of
the men who deserted their jobs on the con-
tracts of Post & McCord viii be filled with
non-union strike breakers Independent OF
what retaliatory action the housesmith's organ
ization may take. a good deal will depend on the
willingness of the other unions to work with the
strike breakers. as this is the first introduction
of the open shop large scale.
The preparations for manning the contracts
were made by the Iron League, the Employers
Association of Architectural Iron Workers and
the Ornamental Bronze and Iron Masters Post
& McCord left the entire matter, after the
Housesmiths and Brdgemens Union had been
ruled out OF the general arbitration board. to
the Building Trades Employers Association.
which empowered a committee of the three
ganizations to engage the strike breakers. 1t
was announced yesterday that enough men,
every one of whom had worked at the house
smiths trade had been hired to fill the place of
every striker. In anticipation Of a general
strike against the Iron League many hundreds
Of other strike breakers are on their way to this
city.
The board of governors of the Building Trades
Employers Association met last evening and
passed strong resolution approving the course
of the employers in the iron trades in manning
the contracts of Post & McCord. The employ
ers say that they get plenty of men, and
in case of disturbances. will depend Police
Commissioner McAdoo to furnish as efficient
protection 70 the new men as he has hitherto
done in strikes
Conferences between employers took place all
day yesterday at the Building Trades Club and
the telephone wires were kept hot with mes
sages to the various firms which are interested
t., - $I,e
Iron League, said last evening that the Build
ing Trades Employers Association had used
every effort to bring about peace to avoid a
clash with the unions
I'VE finally found that 1T was useless to try
any~longer," he said. I'VE might well give
up the arbitration agreement as overlook its
fragrant violation by the housesmiths The
present arbitration is the proposition of the
unions. including the Housesmiths and Bridge
mems Union. For the sake of peace we swal-
lowed it all, and this union. which we can no
longer recognize now, insisted on provoking
fight by violating an agreement 1t helped 10
make.
1T is deplorable that we have been forced to
take the present steps, but we have some rights
that even the workers must recognize rms
matter must be fought to the bitter end. What
the local or international unions of housesmlths
may do cannot change our plans. We have
been forced into position from which we can
not back down. We can get plenty of men. many
prove"
International President Ryan of the house
smiths hurried to this city yesterday from RltIs-
burg, where he had been attending the conven-
ton OF the American Federation of Labor.
President Ryan, who ordered the strike against
Post & McCord, said the housesmiths will not
back down. He will remain in this city until
tomorrow evening to make sure that the strike
breakers are put to work. when he will go TO
Pittsburg and call meeting of his interna-
tional executive committee to take steps against
the employers
1.-The strike against Post & McCord and the
national strike against the American Bridge
Company" he said, will not be called off until
the American Bridge Company discharges its
Don-union men | do not dispute statements
made that Post & NcCord sold their shares in
the Empire Company some time ago to the
American Bridge Company. Post & McCord
then went out of existence and became, as un- |
derstand, employees of this company. When a
strike took place against the American Bridge |
Company two years ago the firm of Post & Nc |
Cord was revived and became a member of the |
Building Trades Employers Association. 1t has |
been doing the work of the American Bridge |
Company during the present strike against the |
company.
Ryan said that the unions in the other trades |
would stand by the housesmiths Asked what !
retaiatory steps, il any, he intended to take, he
said:
I'VE will take such steps. but we do not give |
forehand what they will be. We know how |
many new men they will get They can get men |
to go UP as far the second story, but 1t re- /
quires a special aptitude for the work to get |
men to go higher. AL the good men are in |
the union. The employers tried twice before 10 /
fill the places of striking housesmiths but |
failed. They will fail again.