Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-15
Steel Corporation Faces
Imminent Danger
WORKINGMEN DECIDE TO BAT
TIE AGAINST OCTOPUS
RESOLUTION ADOPTED SENT TO
PRESIDENT TAFT
Leaders of Organized Bodies Meet and
Declare Time Has Come When
Rights of Unprotected Must
Be Conserved
Associated Pressl


n ITTSBURG, Penn, Dec. 14.-War
formally was declared on the
\ United States steel corporation
by leaders of organized labor through
out the United States and Canada at
the close of two days conference
today
The decision to battle against the
stand taken by the steel corporation in
it's policy of open shop" was reached
by the labor conferees after several
hours of debate.
At the conference Samuel Gompers
president of the American Federation
of Labor presided and, through him,
the measure was put on the record
books of the executive council of the
federation.
The grievances of organized labor
against the steel corporation as set
forth in the resolution forwarded
to President Taft, to the Unit
ed States senate and to the house OF
representatives. Governors of the states
in which the United States steel cor
poration owns plants or has interests
also viii receive copies.
The resolution in part follows: "A
crisis in the affairs of labor has arisen.
The great trust, the United States Steel
corporation, is using its great wealth
and power in an effort to rob the toll
ers of their right of American man
hood and of the opportunity to resist
it's further encroaehment.
Shows Greed of Trust
"Grown rich by the consent of the
people of our country, this corporation,
in its mad greed for still greater riches,
sweeps aside, makes and unmakes law,
its enactors and executors, and is now
engaged In an effort to destroy the
only factor-the organizations of it's
Understanding between it and un-
limited, unchecked and unbridled in
dustrial, political, social and moral
carnage. If there exists any virile
power In our time and life to check
the absolute autocratic domination OF
civic, Industrial and political life of
our people and our republic, II must be
found In the indomitable will and mis-
sion of the much misunderstood and
misrepresented organizations of labor.
"The United States steel corporation
has declared war on labor. In it's Sc
cret councils this corporation has de-
creed the only obstacle to its complete
sway - organized labor - shall ba
crushed. The labor organizations con-
sist Of it's employees, the workers (thelr
wives and little ones). human flesh and
blood. 1t Is by their labor they live
they have no purpose other than safe
guarding their lives, their character |
their future. the safety of the republic !
and humanity.
'"These factors now confront each |
other. By their purposes, attitude and |
actions must they be judged.
Is Hostile Toward Labor
June /. 1909, the United States steel |
proclaimed its decree of |
hostility toward labor. The right of |
the workers to associate for their COM
mon protection was no longer to be |
or tolerated. Accompany |
ing that decree was a notice of a fur |
ther reduction in the already scant |
wages of the workers. The decree |
went into effect July l, 1909.
I'VE therefore urge an earnest effort |
be made to thoroughly organize all |
employees in the iron, steel and tin |
plate industry, and subsidiary CORE
ated trades.
owing to immediate pressing neces- !
sity caused by the present strike and |
Ihe indefensible hostile attitude of the |
United States steel corporation we
call on all national and inter-
lational unions of America to send at |
east one organizer to assist in this |
work. We further urge and recon-
mend that in all places where mills |
are located the central labor organ
cations appoint special committees
Continued on Page Two.