The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-01-14
MUTUAL PROTECTION
Labor Called to Resist Steel
Trusts War on Unionism.
TO FIGHT OPEN SHOP RULE.


Workers Asked to Contribute.
War was formally declared upon the
United States Steel corporation by
leaders of organized labor throughout
the United States and Canada at the
recent conference at Pittsburg, which
was presided over by Samuel Com
pers. The grievances of organized la
Dor against the steel corporation as
set forth In resolution have been for
warded to President Taft and the
United States senate and house Of rep
resentatives. The governors of the
states in which the trust owns plants
or has interests will also receive copies
The resolution says in part
"A crisis in the affairs of labor has
arisen. The gigantic trust, the United
States Steel corporation. is using its
rob the toilers of their right of Amer.
lean manhood and Of the opportunity
to resist its further encroachments.
Grown rich by the consent of the
people Of our country, this corporation
in it's 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
employees. standing between it and
unlimited, unchecked and unbridled
Industrial. POLITICAL social and moral
carnage.
If there exists any virile power in
our time and life to check the abso
lutte autocratic domination of civic, in
dustrial and political life of our people
and our republic it must be found In
the indomitable will and mission of
the much misunderstood and misrep
resented organizations of labor
THE United States Steel corporation
has declared war on labor. In its Sc
cret councils this corporation has de-
creed that the only obstacle to its COM
plete sway, organized labor, shall be
crushed. The labor organizations con-
sist of it's employees. the workers, their
wives and little ones. human flesh and
blood. 1t is by their labor that they
| live. They have no purpose other than
safeguarding their lives. their charac-
| ter, their future, the safety of the re-
public and humanity.
"These factors now confront each
other By their purposes, attitude and
actions must they be judged.
ION June /, 1909, the United States
Steel corporation proclaimed its decree
of hostility toward labor. The right
| of the workers to associate for their
common protection was no longer to be
recognized or tolerated.
Accompanying that decree was a
notice of further reduction In the al
ready scant wages of the workers.
| The decree went into effect July l..
| 1909.
I'VE therefore urge that an earnest
effort be made to thoroughly organize
all employees in the iron. steel and tin
plate industry and subsidiary coreat-
ed trades.
lowing to the immediate pressing
necessity caused by the present strike
and the indefensible hostile attitude
of the United States Steel corporation
we earnestly call upon all national and
International unions of America to
send AT least one organizer to assist
In this work. We further urge and
recommend that in all places where
mills are located the central labor or
| CARNATIONS appoint special committees
with instructions to cooperate in this
work. For educational purposes we
recommend that this manifesto be
made a special order in all central
labor organizations at the first meet
ing in January. 1910.
I'VE recommend that the executive
council of the American Federation OF
Labor issue circular to all unions OF
America appealing for financial con
/ tributions to aid the striking iron, steel
| and tin plate workers. We further
| recommend that the amount of such
contribution should not be- less than 10
cents per member.
"ln 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 q 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 represent
atives 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 cor
poration.
AT the instance of the United States
Steel corporation officers of local, mu
nicipal and state governments have
unwarrantably tyrannized over citi
zens. invading the constitutionally
guaranteed right of free assemblage
and free speech.
I'VE recommend that committees be
appointed by this conference to walt
upon the governors of states and such
/ other official representatives of coun
ties and municipalities as are in con
troll where the United States Steel cor
/ poration has plants located for the
| purpose of presenting to these officials
the great wrongs inflicted upon the
people Of these communities and that
the committees demand an investiga
ton and where charges made are sub
stantiated by evidence the officers re
sponslble therefor be removed and the
wrongs Immediately righted.
Eve appeal 10 all liberty loving
Americans for their moral and finan
cial support.