The Topeka state journal., 1919-09-24
STEEL WORKERS



CONTINUED from Rage One.l
taken today by the committee of
twenty-four union heads and organ
izers directing the big steel strike,
The committee met in extraordinary
session here at II a. m. John Fitz-
patrick, chairman, was scheduled to
arrive from Chicago during the morn
ing. Charges that the state police
are abridging right of free speech"
clubbing and riding down strikers
without cause and melting trouble will
be presented to the committee. 1t
IS possible the attention of all organ
lied labor will be called to the situa-
ton as a means coward gaining public
sympathy. Should another letter to
President Wilson be drafted, it is GER
tain charges against the police will
be dealt with -
Situation Unchanged.
The situation in the Pittsburgh dis
trict was generally unchanged today
as the committee met Mills IN the
Monongahela Valley, where the fight
is centered. continued to operate. The
estimate of the steel companies and
Secretary Foster of the steel commit
tee were still far apart. Foster had
ceased to claim, however, that all mills
were down Considering the, close
police protection in the valley towns,
which prevented the operation of
Ss L
isfactory progress had been made.
Due to the concentration of the
Carnegie mills in the valley. he said,
they were coming down slowly, but
added you can bet they're coming
down"
Early reports from the various
towns today were that as many men
were going to work as yesterday with
out disorder. Duquesne is operating
100 per cent and Charlton, Braddoek
and Rankin reported an increasing
number of men returning.
Ask Rail Men to Help.
Foster is now working on a plan of
haul trains in and out of the steel
mills He declares the railroad men
are deeply stirred over the treatment
the strikers are receiving at the hands
of the police. and has instructed or
ganizers to circulate among the rail-
readers and Sound them out" Foster
charges that men are being arrested
for merely being on streets, fined $bo
and then told that their fines will be
remitted if they will go back to work
An organizer called up from Brack-
enridge with word that one of their
men had been arrested and when he
apparently asked about bail, Foster
told him to dig up your liberty
bonds and make 'em buy little lib
erty." ar
y
for Washington tonight to appear be
fore the senate committee. He will
doubtless point to the rioting of the
past two days as having been caused
by the presence of the state and spe-
cIal police.
Union activity in the district today
was marked, for the first time since
the strike opened. by the placing of
pickets near plants. this action being
taken on instructions from the strike
committee. Meetings of strikers thru
out the district will be held during
the day, according to an announce
ment from Secretary Foster.
Dead Now ut Four.
Disorders incident to the strike con-
tinued in the PITTSBURGH district yester-
day and last night. The most serious
outbreak occurred at Farrell ;, Pa.
where two men were killed during "a
clash between strikers and their sym
pathfzers and state troops In the dis
orders of Monday and Tuesday at Far
rell, Newcastle and other points, four
persons have been, killed, more than a
score shot, many others have been
! slightly wounded and hundred of ar
rests have been made.
Rumors of Strlkebreakers-
Chicago. Sept. 24.-The- third day
| of the strike in the steel industry
found rumors of the Importation of
| slLANCDI SdheAc iHIO tHo N4lICdBO 0lS-
trict and reports that some of the nails
idle since Monday contemplated re-
suming operations by pooling work
men who had remained loyal. 49,
The only disorder in this district
! since inception of the strike occurred
at Indiana Harbor. Ind, last night
when strike sympathizers outside the
coke plant of the Mark Manufactur-
| ing company attacked about twenty
| five men as they left work.
Workers Badly Beaten.
Eight or ten men were badly beat
en- and were taken to an emergency
hospital after Indiana Harbor police
| stopped the fighting. A number of
shots were fired at the police, hut
none was hit. A negro striker who
carried a rifle was arrested.
| The men who were, attacked had
remained to pull fires and prepare the
l plant for an extended shutdown, it
was stated. 1t was reported an effort
would be made today at the plant Of
| the Illinois Steel company in South
Chicago to start one of the big rolling
mills with the aid of strikebreakers.
| Two blast furnaces have been going
regularly there with $500 men re-
ported loyal to the company. Eleven
| boats carrying 100000 tons Of iron
ore today were tied up in the outer
harbor at South Chicago by the re-
| fusaI of the crews to dock the vessels
Chicago officials of the seamen's
union said their men had voted to
strike in sympathy with the steel men.
Police said 500 men returned 20
| work in the slab mills of the Illinois
Steel company plant in South Chicago
today. There were signs of renewed
life behind the barricades to bear. out