The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-09-20
STAGE IS SET FOR TEST OF STRENGTH IN STEEL INDUSTRY
 BEGINNING MONDAY
Steel Producers and Organ ized Labor Ready for Con- test, Both Sides Claim ing to Be Confident
 of Outcome
By An.eI,,.s rr.,,

Pittsburg, September l9. Preparations for the test Of strength between organized labor and capital in the steel industry throughout the United States to begin Monday went forward today with both sides apparently confident of the outcome. There were no offl- cial statements forthcominA from either side, but informal talks indicated that they were ready for the contest.
 Representatives of steel companies in the Rittsburg district let It De Known that they intended to operate their plants Monday and also let the impression go out that they did not look for as large walkout as the union leaders asserted would take place. Organized labor expected big turnout of men and predicted that the employers would receive the surprise of their lives. Neither side yentured figures.
 Both frankly confessed they did not know how many men would remain at work or fail to answer the whistle.
 Steel companies in many cases were understood to have canvassed thelr men to get an idea of the number or men who would strike. Union leaders said that from their experiences these canvasses usually proved to be inac- curate.
 SOME ALREADY OUT
 It was said tonight that in a number of plants some men already had qult and sought work in other places. It was expected by union leaders here that many men on the night shifts to- nighs would take their personal be- longings out of the mills at quitting time tomorrow morning, as many or them do not work Saturday and Satur- day nights. involved in the strike had left the city tonight for their respective headquar- ters to make final plans for the strike, and much of the activity about the or fees of the steel workers national committee had to3do with the prepara- tions in the Pittsburg district. sN While national headquarters are Tn this city, in charge of William z. Eos ter. secretary of the national commit tee it was learned that much Of the work would be conducted by districts.
 DISTRICT CHIEFS
 These districts, and the men in charge. MT Foster said. were as foi- lows:
 Chicago, E.fJ Evans; Cleveland. H. W. Raisse: Youngstown. J. E. McCad- den; inner Pittsburg, J. l.. Beagaan , outer Pittsburs. J. McCaig; Bethle- hem. David Williams; Buffalo, H. C.. Thompson; Birmingham. E. $. Ingram; Pueblo, Colo, W. H. Young.
 Reports of strike developments will be made to these districts and If im- portant enough will be forwarded to national afNheadquarters.
 Mr. Foster, in answer to queries, said that all men in non-union mills have been asked to strike. None will be left to preserve company property such as keeping up furnace flres 10 prevent ore from cooling. he sad. '4The companies have had 12 days notice of the strike," he said. "and If they have not arranged to LOOK alter their furnaces it is not our fault.
 IMPORTANT MEETING
 It was given out here that an im- portant meeting of the executive coun- cil of the unions will be helds prob ably in Pittsburg. within two weeks, Questions of financing the strike, it was said, would be taken up. Accord ing to the letter addressed to Presi- dent wilson last night by the national committee, the unions co-operatsns in the strike have total membership oi 100000.
 Members of the unions not involved in the strike will be expected to as- sist fellow members
 M. F. Tishe, international president of the Amalgamated Iron. Steel and Tin workers, said today that his or xanisation,. which is the largest nu- merically in the steel industry. has many agreements with employers anu that none of these will be affected ny che walkout.
 Manufacturers identified with the Western Bar Iron association and en,- ployers in the Western Sheet and Tin Plato Manufacturers association. scat tered throughout the country, will no' be affected. because they have work ing agreements with the amalgamatec association.
 FIGHT FOR CLOSED SHOP
 Mr. Tighe said the unions are fight ing for closed shop" All we wan is conference" he said. 'They haven't even given us a chance to ask them if they are satisfied to have closed shop
 He said the amalgamated assocta tioh is working under union agree
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