The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-02-17
PEACE Of P|TTSBURG
Real Meaning Of the oulescent
State Of Labor.
THE DEGRADATION OF TOLL

Workers In the Steel Industry Ac-
cused Of Notwithstanding In this
Spirit Which Distinguishes Robust
American Manhood.
Each issue OF American Industries
contains articles picturing In the most
favorable light different communities
where nonunion conditions prevail.
says the typographical journal. One Of
the most recent is story which as
serts that Pittsburg is acknowledged
as the scene Of the greatest liberty Of
the open shop" Part OF the statement
reads:
1.-THE population OF Greater Pittsburg
alone is now estimated at more than
100000 To this must be added an
equal number In the clrcumvallating
area. making a total OF more than
100000 souls who are engaged, most
OF them directly. In industrial produc-
tion. Out OF this total 1t is estimated
that at least $4,000 are wage earners.
At least 10000 are employed in the
iron and steel industry. and not more
than 1000 are members OF labor un-
ions. 1t is most astounding fact that
at the same time within this area OF
active production Of wealth, this focus
Of aggregation Of all materials and cen
ter Of distribution Of finished products,
where the assertions of organized labor
might in theory be expected to be most
aggressive. they are in reality most
quiescent"
The above statement may or may not
be true, but II it Is It affords much food
for thought. Twenty years ago the
Amalgamated Association Of Iron and
Steel Workers was probably the most
highly organized and powerful trndes
union in the world. and fits passing
from perfect organization to perfect
quiescence under enforced disunion
marks q transition In sentiment and
action in the steel Industry OF such
scope and meaning as to weaken our
faith in facts deemed fixed and funda-
mental in human nature A writer in
one OF the leading newspapers takes
this view of the conditions said to
exist.
"When General Snowden, with his
1000 soldiers. appeared at Homestead
1t could be foreseen that the right Of
the steel worker to cooperate with his
fellows and confer with his employer
In the matter OF wages was TO be de-
MED, at least for a time, but II could
not be foreseen that In few short
years the American would either give
place 10 or take on the servile attitude
Of the Hunyak. And vet he has done
both Of these things, and that. in my
opinion. is exactly what Is meant by
this most quiescent period in the his
tory Of steelmaking in the United
States.
'The peace OF rittsburg means more
than mere quietude Any one who has
been In the district knows that It
means that the toilers in this great In
dustry have learned TO touch their caps
In trucking allegiance to the man who
gives them work 1t means the disap-
pearance Of American homes, the dis
appearance OF robust American man
hood and the extinction of that fighting
spirit which successfully resisted the /
Of King George and his /
ministers. which created government /
Of the people and gave it place of I
power among the nations
Of Che earth.
i Go not say that the Pittsbnrg steel
are slaves. because there have
been slaves whose souls were never In
fhrail. but charge them with unmur-
muring subservieney. gradation OF /
degradation which does not necessarily
adhere to the victim Of involuntary
servitude"
i