The Monte Vista journal. (Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, Colo.) 1888-1921, 1909-12-18
LABOR Will War
on STEEL TRUST
MANIFESTO ISSUED ~ IAeon
LEADERS OF UNITED STATES
AND CANADA.
APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE
sTArEMENT OF oRiEvANcEs
GENT TO THE PRESIDENT
AND TO coNoRGss.

ANO ~ VON0U8o0s
Pittsburg.-War was formally Dc.
clared upon the United States Steel
Corporation by the leaders Of organ.
lied labor throughout the United
States and Canada at the close Of .
two-day conference Tuesday.
The decision to battle against the
stand taken by the Steel Corporation
In it, policy Of open shop" was
reached 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 ~ 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 . copy Of
the resolution. Tho resolution in
part follows:
"A crisis in the affairs Of labor has
arisen. The gigantic trust, the United
States Steel Corporation. 10 using it,
great wealth and power in an effort TO
rob the toilers Of their right Of Amor
lean 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. it, snactors and executors. and 10
now engaged in an effort to destroy
the only factor-the Organizations Of
it, employes-standing between It and
unlimited. unchecked and unbrldlsd
Industrial. political. social and moral
carnage. II there exists any virtle
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
b. found In the indomitable win and
mission OF the much misunderstood
and misrepresentsd organizations 1t
labor.
'"rhe United States Steel Corpora.
ton has declared war On labor. In its
secret councils this corporation has
decreed that The only obstacle to its
complete sway - organized labor
shall b crushed. The labor orgauis.
atoms consist Of tn employees. the
workers their wives and little onesJ.
human flesh and blood. It 10 BY their
labor that they live: they have no
purpose other than safeguarding their
lives. their character. their future. the
safety q tia republic and humanity.
These factors now confront each
other. BY their purposes. attitude and
actions must they be Judged.
I'VE recommend that the executive
council Of the American Federation
Of Labor issue . 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 psrpe-
trated BY the Unitsd States Steel Cor.
poration. not only against the workers,
but the public generally. ws recon-.
mend that . committee b appointel
By this conference to wait upon the
President Of the United States, the
prssident Of the United States Senate.
The speaker Of the House Of Repre-
ssntativss. and such members Of
either house Of Congress - may no
deemed advisable for the purpose oe
laying before them the grievances
from which labor suffers at the hands
Of this corporation.
I'VE appeal TO all liberty.lovtng
Americans for their moral and imam.
cial support"
The manifesto 10 signed By James
0'Coonsll. T. l. Lewis. W. d. Mahon.
George W. Perkins. J. ". Hayes,
Frank u. Ryan. T. Healy, Samuel
0o0psrs, p. J. AcArdls aad Charles
= LAWlof. trI
Neve.t Against zsisys.
AA001an. NlNoPnRuA The voe.01A -