The sun., 1919-09-15
STEEL WALKOUT
Is IN ABEYANCE
Decision Will Not Be Made
Until After Wilson's La
Dor Conference.
WILL NOT TIE UP BOSTON
General Strike Off, Is, Report
as Gompers Goes to Wash
ingtOn.
WILL NOT TIE UP BOSTON

There will be no countrywide strike
of the steel workers of the United
States beginning next Monday. the
date which had been fixed for the start
of finish fight with the United States
Steel Corporation, which steadfastly
has refused to deal with union labor
through all the years of its history.
There will be no general strike
called in Boston.
The foregoing statements THE SUN
is able to make without reservation or
qualification.
Samuel Gompers attended yesterday
to the sad duty Of the burial of his
father. He would not be quoted on
any subject, and indeed was difficult
Of access to newspaper men. but these
important announcements came from
a source so close to MIR. Gompers that
their accuracy could not be doubted.
Mr.. GompeSs departed late last night
for Washington. Just before he left a
member of his party said:
There will be something of an inter-
esting nature in regard TO the Boston
police strike made public Monday"
When the speaker was asked II this
meant a general strike in Boston he
replied:
There will be no general strike"
Cancels Coolidge Message
Mr.. Gompers drafted a telegram yes
terday to Gov. Coolidge replying to the
hi N.aaN
later he cancelled 1t and did not send It,
according 70 Guy Oyster, his secretary.
The steel strike will not be called
until after the labor conference which
Mr.. Wilson has set for early in October
in Washington. This step has been
taken in compliance with the Presidents
specific request.
The call for general strike was is
sued by twenty-four union officers of the
steel industry on September 10 in WASH
ington after a message had been received
from the President asking for delay.
The reply to this request, carrying the
announcement that the strike was ordered
TO begin September 22, notified the Pres
ident that the situation had become too
acute TO admit OF parlex, and stated that
the steel workers of western Pennsyl-
vania were likely to get beyond control
unless this means was resorted to for the
settlement of their grievances.
The fat refusal of Judge Ebert H
Gary, chairman OF the United states
Steel Corporation, to meet union com
mittee seemed to be the chief cause OF
irritation of the union leaders. In theii
analysis of the situation TO Presiden
Wilson they said that they had made re
peated efforts to lay their troubles be
fore Mr.. Gary. but had found hin
adamant.
They then applied to Samuel Gompers
for aid and Mr.. Gompers had Obliged
by addressing a personal letter in which
he appealed to what he called Mr
Gary's sense of fairness to grant the
interview. This also failed. Then a
committee was sent to Mr.. Gary's New
York offices and waited. The men go'
no further than the outside office rail-
ing, however. Through a clerk Mr
Gary sent word that he would receive
no union representatives, on the ground
that ne did not believe they represented
all the workers
Trouble Brewing for Months.
The trouble in the steel industry hat
been brewing for four months. In th'
western Pennsylvania district workers
meetings had been broken up and mel
discharged by the thousands simply be
cause they were unionists, 1t wa
charged. and the police were invoked t.
arrest organizers. This chronicle o
| events was related TO the President in {
! letter sent to him Immediately after th'
leaders convened in Washington on Sep
| tember D.
THE exercise of brutality and thug
ism on the part of the corporation hal
brought about a situation which hai
become difficult to restrain" the Presi
dent was told.
! AZ the close OF the two day conference
the leaders issued their statment call
ing the strike. They found II impossi
BILE, they said, to delay until the indus
! trial conference previously called b!
the President for October s in Washing
ton. They had exercised every per
suasion with the workers but they ha'
! failed.
The first statement of President VII
son appealing for time was not mad
public. His second request, addressed
to Samuel Gompers, pleaded the pres
of national affairs as the most inslsten
cause of a parley. and 1t Is apparen
that this was the ruling reason for tn
decision to accept his suggestion.