The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1919-09-24
MAHONING
VALLEY IS
PARALYzED
BY STRIKE
Great Steel Center of Ohio
Completely Idle - Third
Day Brings Conflicting Re-
ports From All Other Points

(By Associated Press)

|
recorded little change in the align
ment of the opposing forces of the
labor unions and the steel companies.
In the Mahoning valley of Ohio, the
strikers success is complete. The in
| dustry, which is the backbone OF
| Youngstown and score of neighbor-
| ing villages, is paralyZed, and all its
$4,000 wage earners idle.
| Elsewhere the struggle is being car
| ried on with varying success, the issue
still being doubtful on the great stra-
tegic sectors radiating from Pitts
burg to Chicago.
In the Pittsburg district the Carne-
gle steel company announced today
that the situation looks good" and
backed up its optimism with claims
that men were returning to work in
considerable numbers.
Strikers Dispute Statement
AS usual these claims were stoutly
denied by William Z. Foster chief Of
staH for the unions, who reiterated his
assertion of yesterday that the strike
was spreading, and claimed that two
additional large plants had been clos
ed today, and that Homestead would
be idle by the end of the week. The
| strikers placed pickets around various
plants for the first time.
The situation around Chicago is
more definite than that in the Pennsyl-
vania region A majority of the mills
are closed, and those which are still
operating are doing so with reduced
forces. The threatened sympathetic
| strike of the lake seamen seemed
nearer as the result of the refusal of
the crews Of II frieghters to dock
| their vessels.
Important decisions affecting the
spread of the strike to allied indus
tries are expected to be the outcome
of the melting today in Pittsburg of
the National Steel Workers commit
tee, Of which Mr.. Foster is secretary
!. The question of summoning not only
the lake seamen. but union trainmen,
to the assistance of the steel strikers.
will be discussed at this meeting
Senate to intervene.
In the meantime the United States
senate committee which will inves-
ttgate the strike is preparing for its
first meeting tomorrow, when John
Fitzpatrick, commander of the strik-
ers, will be the principal witness
1t was reported from Washington
today that this committee also would
investigate charges that Foster has
l. w. w. affiliations. and that there
are more sinister motives involved in
the strike than the question of labor
unionism.
Rioting and disorder still mark the
} progress of the struggle, but so far,
only sporadically. The latest out
break occurred today in Cleveland.
where four men were stabbed in a bat
: tie between strikers and non-strikers
/, two probably fatally.
, At Farrell where the gravest dis
| turbance to date had been reported.
| the town executive. Burgess Moody, is
under special guard as the result Of
numerous threats against his life. and
the steetS are patrolled by a large
force of state troopers and deputy
sheriffs.
: COMPANY GIVES ULTIMATUM.
INDIANA HARBOR. Ind, Sept. "a
:, Officials of the Inland Steel company
sent an ultimatum to their striking
employees today that unless they re-
turned to work within two days, the
company will shut down the plant for
six months.
The company's furnaces are said to
have cost 100000 each, and the ex-
pense of starting a fire in furnace
after it has been drawn. Is set by
company officials at $4,000.
Union labor leaders said they would
ignore the warning.
! CLEVELAND, Sept. 24-Four men
= were stabbed, two probably fatally,
, and two others were badly beaten near
> the entrance of the American Steel
, and Wire companys Newburg plant
- this morning in the first serious local
disorder of the steel strike.
The trouble broke out when a street
- car stopped near the plant to let off
. men bound for work at the mills.
- The men who were attacked had re-
mained to pull fires and prepare the
plant for an extended shutdown, it
was stated.
: TROOPS PATROL FARRELL
. FARRELL. Pa. Sept. 24-Although
! all was quiet here today following last
- nights outbreak in which one man
was killed and several persons were
- wounded, the situation was tense.
. State police and a large number of
. deputy sheriffs were patrolling the
= streets within the riot zone. Thirty
more of the constabulary arrived late
last night to aid the detachment OF
state troopers already stationed here.
Among the armed deputy sheriffs
put on the streets were about oo ne
groes. Their presence has aroused
the feeling OF the foreign element and
race rioting is now feared.
r. ARRESTS AT YOUNGSTOWN
n YOUNGSTOWN, o.. Sept. 24-Five
Y. strikers were arrested last night at
1, 1.-THE plant of the Sharon Steel Hoop
e company. According to police two OF
If the men had rocks tied in handker.
J. chiefs while the others were unarmed.
If The steel strike which began last
Is Monday morning has resulted in the
closing Of every mill in the valley
n Forty-four thousand men are idle anc
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