Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-08-07
Unionism Makes Headway
In The Town OF Weir ton
1Rv special correspo ndent.)

fBy Special Correspondent
eteubenville, O., Aug. Ton Tues
dsy 200 strong, the striking tin work
arc landed in Weirton. 1t was the
1rst successful migration the Amalga-
mated has made in penetrating this
hayen OF capitalism. The marchers
nrocerded right to the central portion
r, tbr town, and there on the princi-
mol thoroughfare held a monster
r rt speeches being made in Eng
nsb italian and Greek. Throngs
crowded about the speakers, and en-
thEsiasm ran high. No demonstration
of hostility was displayed against the
invaders. Sheriff Mercer having sue
ceeded in keeping the Phillips muske-
teers within the companys lortlnca'
TONS About the only outward dis.
nav OF animosity came from General
Manager Williams, who Kept petulenC
" riding past the crowd. 1t Is IN
deed refreshing to know that the au-
thorities of West Virginia have at
last spanked this refractory little
town and that it has finally become
Americanized.
Harry Griffith Leads.
Harry Griffiths, leading the fight
here. opened the meeting with a rat
fling frey peroration on the immut-
able rights of the workers. He went
over the entire ground on the benefits
OF class solidarity and pointed out the
results Of the shortcomings of those
who through individual selfishness
remain without the pale Of organized
labor John Rose. and Mike Monies
made stirring addresses in Italian
and Greek respectively.
The little band landed In Steuben-
Vile late In the evening and marched
triumphantly over the main streets.
No scene was more inspiring than to
see these gallant labor gladiators
with heads erect and firm tramp, each
step spelling victory. The girls made
stirring spectacle and came in for
much admiration.
Women Help.
IT'S often said there Is nothing like
a woman's scorn." Neither Is there
anything like her courage and forti-
tude. Not single girl has as yet
deserted the ranks.
One of the local papers stated that
the strikers returned from Weirton
"fruitless, but not discouraged" 1t
was not fruitless by any means, for
while they brought no tangible re-
suits. good seed was sown in such
fertile soil that fructifrication set In
on Wednesday, when the army made
another expedition. The strikers car
ried with them an augmented force OF
speakers Those who made addresses
were President Williams, Of the Am
algamated Association; Vice Presi-
dent Larkin, Assistant Secretary
Davis, John Lewis of the A. F. of L.;
Michael Lotak who spoke in Slavish,
andt hree Finlanders. The central
part of town was again selected as
their point of rendezvous. The audi
ence was several times as large as on
the previous day, hundreds OF the
Weirton mill men listening attentiVely
and drinking in everything that was
said The speakers put their argu-
ments up to the workers without fr1lls.
They outlined in plain language the
economic value OF the worker to So
cfety and his right to be a party to
what they shall receive and the con-
ditions under which they shall be
employed.
Tired of Conditions.
There seems to be little question but
that the men at Weirton are tired OF
prevailing conditions. They have all
along been afraid to mention organiza-
ton in the shop, OF knowing but what
the fellow with whom he daily touches
elbows Is hired spy to ferret out dis
senters.
Company's Low Methods.
In all my articles l have endeavored
to point out to The Majority's readers
the methods to which the company
has resorted in its attempt at misrep-
resentation and thought it had al
ready stopped to such depths as to
exhaust the possibilities OF Language
to describe them, but the most recent
and shallow one Is the following am
dayit which appeared in one OF the
Steubenville daily papers OF Saturday
2. Aug. 2:
The Great Affidavit.
Henry Mock, being duly sworn &C
cording to law says that he is resi-
dent OF Jefferson county, Ohio, resid'
Ing in Mingo Junction In said county
That he has been employed by the
Phillips Sheet ad Tin Plate Company
during the months of June and July
1913, on and about its property at
Weirton. w. Va, and for some time
past he has noticed in the daily news
papers published at Steubenville, Ohio
statements that the company was mis-
treating its employees, restraining them
within the mill, and that It was an
{ armed camp. and that laborers who
came into the town were being beaten
up and driven off and abused by
guards.
The affiant says that said state
ments are absolutely untrue. Thai
during all the time he was there he
saw no armed men except uniformed
policemen, duly authorized by law tC
carry weapons, and that no disorder
exists. and that the relations between
the management of the mill and ii
employees are Of the pleasantest clN.t
acter. and that they are accommodate
ed by receiving advancement of theil
wages before pay day II they need the
the same, and their comfort and wei
fare is looked after at all times b,
the company.
That the community is orderly ant
abiding. Afiiant saysthat he makes