The sun., 1919-10-12
Leaders Charge Suppression Of
Meetings in Pittsburg and
Vicinity.
PRIEST rs A WITNESS
Senate Committee Told of AL
legged Abuses in Courts
Mayor Testifies.
sr.cini pespntcn 10 Tnr sus.


ground and dealt with the suppression
of union meetings In Pittsburg and the
immediate vicinity and with alleged bru-
talities Of the state troopers. special
deputies and police. witnesses were
heard in the Federal Building from 10
o'clock this morning until after o'clock
tonight.
Through lawyers who attempted to in
tercede for arrested strikers. through
strikers and mothers carrying babies In
their arms. the committee got first hand
information on the conditions alleged to
have existed In this district since the
strike began September %.
The Senate displayed keen interest In
the testimony Of lawyers detailing some
of their experiences in appearing before
some police magistrates in Pittsburg
and before Mayors. burgesses and police
officials in surrounding towns
It was the strikers "day in court,
and under the generalship of w. Z. Ru-
bin, a New York lawyer. counsel for
the American Federation Of Labor ma
tional committee for organization of iron
and steel workers, they made the most
Of It.
Steel Omcial Testihes.
Only one witness for the steel COM
panies appeared in the person of l. M
SCOTT, president of the Wheeling Steel
and Iron Company. Wheeling, w. Va,
who testified that members of the Anal
gamated Association Of Iron. Steel and
Tin Workers broke an agreement with
his company and. Joined the steel strike.
President Scott furnished a copy of
his company's contract with the Anal
gamated Association of Iron. Steel and
TIN Workers. operative until June 30
next, which was broken, he declared,
when the men struck
His company has no contract with the
u. 8. Corporation, he said. 1t employs
$500 to 5000. partly union and partly
non-union men, and operated on the
open shop basis until under the de-
mand of the Government for Plates dur
ing the war;" one Of the plants engaged
on this work was organized and an
agreement signed.
Before being unionized, our produ..
ton per mill per week was 505.5 gross
tons. and since unionizins. 276 tons per
mill per week, decrease In productioi.
Of 10 per cent" he told the committee
ITO the unionixing Of your plant you
ascribe the decreased production. do
your" asked Senator Sterling.
II do" the witness answered
Senator Walsh asked IL some of the
decreased production since the union
agreement could not be due to improved
working conditions enforced under
union agreements. such as shorter hours.
Quit because Others Did.
There were some changes the union
contract made mandatory which tended
to decrease the output, President Scott
admitted, but indicated these did not
account for the entire decrease In pro-
duction.
One of six ex-soldier strikers admitted
he went on strike because the other,
did it, and the wife OF one striker, ad-
hitting she had no kick" also said her
husband went out because the others
did.
Nearly all the Senators took a hand
at the questioning of witnesses and all
ave constituting the subcommittee par
ticipated in the Questioning of Patrick
O'Reilly of Donora. a roll setter, who
admitted to drawing SIG daily for
twelve hours work.
What / would like to learn Is why
man getting SIG a day goes on strike? '
said Senator Mcclellan of Tennessee.
"The money Is not worth the hours
have to put in to get It," was the
prompt reply of O'Reilly. who believed
he was also on strike for the right to
join the union which would have the
power to see just complaints arbitrated
After stating that the SIS q day he
received does not compensate for the
long hours he puts In, O'Reilly said his
other complaint was the inability to ge,
action on grievances. and his belief that
the best way to handle this situation IA
through a union.
Explains Grievance Question.
On the grievances question, he said
You take your complaint to the fore.
man and you have the right to appeal
over his head direct to the superintend.
ent. This does not work out well In
practice.
81 tried the plan out once, and as a
result loafed three monthA I talked &c
the foreman about his abusive language
and told him, finally, 1 would not stant
for 1t, and L laid my case before the
superintendent. He was considerate
but upheld the foreman. I quit. Ate,
loafng three months ! went back to the
superintendent. and he suggested have
talk with the foreman / did and re.
turned to work.
How were the relations between tn.
foreman and yourself after that?" Sen.
ator Sterling asked
"All right" said O'Reilly. adding. "rny
case went to the superintendent becauss
l was determined IT would, but in many
cases complaints would not get beyond
the foreman.
But you did get hearing with IN,
superintendent when you asked for It p
suggested Senator Phipps
Yes" said the witness.
With Senator David l. Walsh OF Mas
sachusetts. the four Senators who mad
Fridays tour Of the steel plants, Chair
man Kenyon. Senators Mcclellan. Ster
ling and Phipps, conducted the hear
ing. Threatened concerted action h,
ether organized labor than the stee
workers to force a lifting OF the ba,
on union meetings played the part Il
the days strike developments in othe
directions. 1t was announced a genera
membership meeting OF machinists
called under the auspices of the pitts
burg district council. will be held be
ginning at o'clock tomorrow after
noon In Kenyon Theatre 10 take I'M TN
steel strike. Machinists' locals repre
scented at the meeting will include tn
shop locals on the different railroa a,
report that the machinists will tak
vote to-day to Join a general striL
" one Is called was denied last nigh
!" one OF the machinists union officials
Describes Scenes in Court.
Attorney c. w. sypniewski descrihs
IN detail before the Senate Commits
ehe pIoceoure or Pittsburg Magistrates
n lnl L. a