The new era., 1909-12-23
LABOR WILL WAR
ON STEEL TRUST
MANIFESTO ISSUED BY LA3OR
LEADERS OF UNITED STATES
AND CANADA.
APPEAL TO the PEOPLE
STATEMENT OF GRIEVANCES
SENT TO THE PRESIDENT
AND TO CONGRESS.

Pittsburg.-War was formally de-
tlared upon the United States Steel
Corporation by the leaders of organ
ized labor throughout the United
States and Canada at the close of a
two-day conference Tuesday.
The decision to battle against the
in its policy of open shop" was
'eached by the labor conferees after
hours of debate.
At the conference Samuel Gompers,
president of the American Federation
of Labor, presided, and through him
the measure was put upon 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 have been for
warded to President Taft, to the
United States Senate and to the House
of Representatives. The governors of
the states in which the United States
Steel Corporation owns plants or has
interests will also receive a copy of
the resolution. The resolution in
part follows:
"A crisis in the affairs of labor has
arisen. The gigantic trust, the United
States Steel Corporation, is using its
great wealth and power in an effort to
rob the toilers of their right of Amer
ican manhood and of the opportunity
to resist its further encroachment.
Grown rich by the consent of the peo-
pie 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
its employes-standing between it and
unlimited. unchecked and unbridled
industrial, political, social and moral
carnage. If there exists any virlle
power in our time and life to check
the absolute autocratic domination of
civic, industrial and political life of
our people and our republic, it must
be found in the indomitable will and
mission of the much misunderstood
and misrepresented organizations OF
labor
THE United States Steel Corpora
ton has declared war on labor. In it's
secret councils this corporation has
decreed that the only obstacle to its
complete sway organized labor
shall be crushed. The labor organiz-
ations consist of it's employees, the
workers (their wives and little onesJ,
human flesh and blood. 1t is by their
labor that they live; they have no
purpose other than safeguarding 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.
I'VE recommend thar the executive
council of the American Federation
of Labor issue a circular to all unions
of America and appeal for financial
contributions to aid the striking iron,
steel and tin plate workers.
"In view of the great wrongs perpe-
trated by the United States Steel Cor
poration, not only against the workers,
but the public generally, we recon-
mend that committee be appointed
by this conference to wait upon the
President of the United States, the
president of the United States Senate,
the speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives, and such members of
either house of Congress as may be
deemed advisable for the purpose OF
laying before them the grievances
from which labor suffers at the hands
of this corporation.
I'VE appeal to all liberty-lovlng
Americans for their moral and finan-
cial support"
The manifesto is signed by James
O'Connell, T. l.. Lewis, w. ID. Mahon,
George w. Perkins, j. w. Hayes,
Frank NJ. Ryan, T. Healy, Samuel
Gompers, P. j. McArdle and Charles
e. Lawler.