The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-09-25
PROGRESS OF STRIKE
is QUITE UNCERTAIN
From the Pittsburgh Dis
trict Comes Report of the
Corporation Officials That
the Strikers Are Return
ing in a Small but Steady
Stream.

Washington, d. c., Sept. %. - Even
should the United States Steel corpora
tion consent to meet representatives of
the men, the nationwide strike of steel
workers could not now be called off, in
the opinion of John Fitzpatrick, chair
man of the strikers committee, as ex-
pressed to-day at the opening of the
Senate labor committees investigation of
the strike
"The 100000 men on strike" he de-
clared, "are going to demand from the
United States government justice, decent
justice"
Fitzpatrick opened his statement with
what he said was brief history of labor
conditions in the steel industry
with the creation of the steel cor
poration, campaign was begun with
the object of pushing organized workers
out of the mills" he said. "A great sum
of money, | don't know whether it was
S2,000,000 or $20,000,000, was appropri-
ated. In recent years labor has begun
to realize the tremendous Importance Of
the steel industry and its influence on
other industries.
''While we were getting the eight hour
day and better working conditions else
where, the steel mills still operated with
very long hours and with wages below
the proper line Labor understood then
the necessity of organizing the steel in.
dustry for the purpose Of controlling its
effects on the others, and at the last two
conventions of the federation of labor
the step was authorized"
Fitzpatrick said representatives of "a
international unions affiliated with the
A. F. of L. met at Chicago year ago
and effected campaign committee to
organize the steel workers. Samuel Com
pers was elected chairman and William
u. Foster, secretary. Men and money,
the witness said, were assembled but
funds were so limited that the initial
organization efforts were confined to the
lCalumet district, including Chicago and
ery, Ind
"The men in the steel mills" Fitzpat-
rick continued, 'were looking for relief.
They had no hope. They responded in
large numbers, and it was only short
time until we had very successful
organization"
up to that time there had been no
1inionism in the steel mills Z" asked
Chairman Kenyon.
No" Fitzpatrick replied.
about that time-0ctober, 1918, the
steel corporation was resorting to every
effort to force action on the part of the
men or of the labor organization to
spread their influence. They announced
establishment Of the eight-hour day, and
we knew that was an effort to prevent
our organization"
/ Senator Jones, Democrat, New Mexi-
co, asked whether the employees had
made application to the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor for organization or
whether the movement had been initial
ed by the American Federation of Labor.
"The American Federation of Labor
initiated the movement" Fitzpatrick re-
piled.
"Was there no movement of the men
inviting the organization? asked Sen
ator Jones'
mo, only as the men met in different
localities and expressed their DESIRES"
"Why was it incumbent on the Amer.
ican Federation of Labor to organize the
steel Industry" Senator Jones asked
1T was bad spot in the industrial
situation" Fitzpatrick replied 'In the
steel industry the hours are long, the
wages small, and the treatment = you
can't describe the treatment"
These conditions, he added, led other
large employers to consider imposing
similar conditions on their employees, and
so for the benefit Of organized workers
everywhere in the country, organization
of the steel industry was deemed essen
tial by the leaders of the labor movement.
"lf Judge Gary had consented to this
conference, would this strike have been
calledP asked Senator Kenyon
NO." Fitzpatrick replied.
"If Judge Gary consents now, will the
strike 60 on?"
Eyes, they are going on now in my
lopinion until they get justice"
cat that time, had the presidents in.
dustrial conference been called?"
'No, it had not
"We'd be interested in having you tell
us why you couldn't postpone the strike
until after that continued Senator
Kenyon
"The date had been set" Fitzpatrick
said, IF we had waited we would have
been shot to pieces"
COPDDP iTTDN DT 1IHEC