Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-09-26
STEEL WORKERS
OPEN BIG STRIKE
Night Shifts Fail to Answer the
Whistles; Unions Walk
Out Is Planned.
GREAT MASSMEETlNGS HELD
Superintendents of the Different
Mills Plan to Keep Running and
Guards Are on Duty-Say
No Fires Will Be Drawn.

Chicago, Sept. 22.-The great steel
strike fell on. Chicago and Calumet
districts when hundreds of workers re-
fused to answer the steam blasts cali
ing them to early night shifts.
Officially the strike went into effect
at midnight, but after a day of ha-
ranguing and cheering of large. crowds
gathered at meetings in the various
"steel cities" south, east, and north
Of Chicago, hundreds Of union men
refused to enter the plants.
The situation at Gary, the vortex
Of the local strike whirlpool, was typ
ical. More than 5000 men answered
the union call at the East Side park
to hear the officials of the United
States Steel corporation condemned
for their refusal to treat with the
workers. Union heads claimed that
5000 men We're already on strike and
would not report for work.
PIah to Keep Running.
Local superintendents, however, de-
clared that the plants would continue
to operate as long as the men came
to work. There will be no fires drawn
as Tong as there are faithful employ.
ees to watch them. They derided un-
ion claims that the plants would be
shut down as mere exaggeration. They
estimated the union strength as be
tween 10 and 25 per cent of the work
ers' total and promised protection fol
the men who reported for work.
Prepare to Guard Plants.
| In secret the management of thu
Illinois Steel company, a subsidiary O.
| the United States Steel corporation
made ready to protect its plants.
| City authorities and Sheriff Barnes
in whose territory clashes are expect
| ed, if any materialiZe, will throw hun
dreds of deputies into Gary. Fift
police will patrol the main street
Broadway, and prevent crowds fror
accumulating. The strikers drew cor
siderable satisfaction from the fac
that no one reported to join the "Cit
liens league" which was planned a
a bulwark against disorders in Gar,
Another 5000 met in Indiana Hal
Dor, overlooking into the streets be
cause the auditorium was too sma
to accommodate them. 1t was elaine
that so per cent of the 1900 worl
erS were unioniZed.
Joliet Workers Assemble.
Joliet saw a REPETITION of this. Oh
1y $500 men could find room inside th
Slavish School hall and 5000 MOI
stood about in the streets, unable I
hear the messages brought by orgal
izers from Chicago.
E. Fl. Gary, head of the steel co
poration, was the center of abuse.
n. Glover of Chicago declared tn;
Gary placed himself above Chris
who, he said, was a laborer, a carpel
! ter, and an organizer.
This statement brought cries
"Kaiser Gary" from the assembly
union sympathizers.
In Hammond, where 1,500 emplo
ees of the Standard Steel Car cor
pany have been. on strike for week
every man but one in the 1900 uniC
electrical workers. voted to go out
sympathy with the steel worker
) There are about 10000 employees
the trade in Hammond.
Waukegan Situation.
Nearly 1000 met at >Waukegan, Il
home of the Mark plant of the Amel
. can Steel and Wire company, whit
has seen considerable labor troub
during the past year. Union leade
claimed that 200 recruits were Obtain
ed during the meeting. The city cou
Gil turned down a request from the u
, ions that their pickets be deputiZ'
as special police. It was planned
j put fifty pickets on the job early t
day garbed in their overseas uniform
| Disorders Near Pittsburgh.
l Pittsburgh, Pa, Sept. PIN t
E entire .district it is estimated tn
135,000 steel workers are idle.
l Some of these are strikers. Othe
;, are workmen willing to stay at the
;, jobs, but unable to do so because
$ the action of strikers in crippling {
e partments of plants.
e Disorder marked several meetin
: of strikers. Sixteen men were ARE
t ed at a meeting in Clarion, seat of
d big plant of the Carnegie Steel co
$ pany, and placed in the county Jail.