Norwich bulletin., 1919-09-22

tween Pennsylvania state police and crowds bent on holding labor mass meetings in the Pittsburgh district to- day ushered in the strike in the iron and steel industry. The most serious disturbance occurred at North Clair ion. twenty miles from Pittsburgh. late in the afternoon, where the state troopers charged a crowd of union men holding a mass meeting and broke 1t up. Resistance was offered md it is charged by union leaders that the mounted policemen used their clubs vigorously and injured a number in the crowd. About a dozen men were arrested. The meeting was hrcken up at the request of local au- thorities-
 According to eye-witnesses. the meeting was proceeding quietly when the state police broke it up. The crowd scattered and some ran up a railroad ernba nkment and threw stones and other missiles at the troop CTS During the melee several in the crowd were struck on the head by the soon scattered and as far as can be learned no one was seriously injured During the melee the horse of one of the troopers suffered a broken leg. It is alleged that several shots were fired by some one in the crowd
 William z Foster. secretary of the national committee for organizing iron and steel workers. tonight said that vigorous protest would be lodged with the state government against what he termed a 'rnurderous attack upon l. laT-aoiding people"
 Some of the blast furnaces of the Carnegie Steel Company are located at Clairton.
 Slight Disturbance at Mekeesport.
 There was a slight disturbance at Mckeesport, where union organizers attempted to hold a mass meeting in defiance of the proclama ton of Mayor George Lysle forbiddins public gath erings- More than 2.500 steel workers tho southern limits of the city when a squad of Mckeesport police dispersed them. driving the crowd into Glass port. an adjoining borough.
 When the crowd again began to as- semble in Glassport the local police appeared and ordered the meeting dis persed. The crowd refused to move and a detachment of mounted state police appeared and with drawn clubs broke up the meeting No one was injured. Two aliens were arrested for refusing to obey the order of the police to move on"
 After dispersing the Glassport meet ing the state police returned to Me Crowds were dispersed without dif1- culty.
 All preparations had been completed by Mayor Lysle tonight for putting
  long men were being sworn in as spe- ciaI officers. Members of the Mo KeKesport chamber of commerce were sworn in as special police
 More than ? 500 civilian police are now available for luty. Mayor Lysle said
 About 5000 employees of plants at McKeesport have been made deputy sherihs to protect company property: it was stated. The steel sants in and about McKeesport employ approxi- mateIy 1s.00o workmen-
 We are going 10 maintain law and cIared tonight We will not discrim mate against any class. union and non-union men will be treated alike. We are going to have order
 Mayor Lysle was on duty practically =U day at police headquarters giving direction to the volunteer police or =aniza ton. which is made up largely Of ex-so1diers.
 All plants in the McKeesport dis trict are under heavy guard tonight command all entrances to the com pany's property
 Quiet at Homestead.
 Quiet reiEned throughout the day at Duouesne. Homestead and East Du- duesne There was no attempt made by the steel men to hold meetings and there was no congregating on the streets.
 The steel plants at Homtstead and Duuuesne are prepared to protect the, property. Special barbed wire fences have been constructed about exposed property and searchlights have been installed. Deputy sheriffs are patroH- ing the company properties.
 Although the call of the unions made the strike effective tomorrow companies in the Pittsburgh district. at least have already felt the effect of the summons. The skeleton Sunday day shifts in many plants were, not as complete as under normal condl- tions and union leaders said that large number of men had decided not to report tonight
 Sunday was a day of expectancy in all the iron and steel mill in the district Active in their communities to get an idea or the extent of the walkout, and in the z fternoon mass meetings were held Tn many places in last efforts 10 per suade men to join the strike
 Prepared For Bitter Battle.
 How the strike will end and what it's cost would be were questions that came to the minds of men when they realized that the industrial conn1ct had materialized. National leaders or Ia bor unions involved have long pre- na red for the strike. in the event they | rould not make a settlement. They | say they are prepared for bitter struggle and would not have gone lnto Ir IF +hev were not sure they could | sustain the struggle Large sums of money will be required to finance the strike Confidence has been expressed ] hat money will not be lacking. The i ---es+ioD of finances was discussed at i he last meeting of the rational com -,ittee for organizing the iron ana . -reei workers and it was said a meet ] rz of the national unions VIII DC nelo .oor +o couapiete plans for the sup port of the strike ,l Labor leaders were asked today 1T i bev know of any efforts being made O bring about suspension CT the ,trike now that 1t is on They salu hev did not. Up to the last minute here was faint hope held out that President Wilson might find way ,ut. but nothing has come from him to