The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-21
Searchlights and Charged
Wires Will Protect Mills
in Pittsburg.
LOYAL MEN DEPUTIZED
Foreigners Votes, Not
Americans, Decided Strike,
Say Steel Officers.
MASS MEETINGS TO-DAY
Companies Change Plan to
Close-Men in Big Plants
Vote to Work.
MASS MEETINGS TO-DAY
Special DespatcA 10 The suS.

EITTbBURG, OepC. ZU.-OucerS OI Afe
big steel plants III the Pittsburg dis
trict have taken all possible measures
to contest with organized workers
who are scheduled to strike tomorrow
midnight in every non-union steel con-
Germ in the United States that refuses
to grant the right Of collective bar
gaining, an eight hour day and a sub
stantial increase in wages.
At a meeting tonight of employees
of the American Sheet and Tin Plate
Company's hot mill at Sharon it was
voted almost unanimously to report
for work at midnight Sunday. Daniel
T. Haddock, the mill manager, prom
ised the men protection in going to
and from work.
Promises were made tonight by
80 per cent. Of the employees of the
Farrell and Sharon plants Of the
Carnegie Steel Company to be at work
as usual Monday morning.
Employees OF the Allegheny Steel
Company and the West Penn Steel
Company at Breckenridge, numbering
about 5000, voted to-day on the ques-
ton of walking out Monday. The
plants have operated all along under
Independent ownership. Both were
closed down by order Of their presi-
dents to give the employees an op-
portunity to vote on the strike ques-
tion. Almost 60 per cent. of the
workmen in the plants who voted cast
ballots in favor of striking.
An early vote taken by the men
in the yards of the two steel COM
! panies, according to V. b. Browne,
general manager, showed 1000 men in
favor Of remaining at work, while 500
| registered their desire to strike. The
| vote was taken under the watchful
| eyes of mill superintendent and fore
men. This, union leaders contend,
was the reason for the preponderance
of the vote against the walkout.
A large number of the men who
had cast ballots in the early election
and who were dissatisfied arranged
for a second ballot in the mill yard of
the West Penn Company, where $50
votes of 600 were cast in favor of the
/ walkout.
Officers of both plants said to-
night that their foreign employees
favored the strike, but that the
American workmen were almost a
unit against the walkout.
| Union Omcer JubiIant.
Informed of the result of the vote
in Breckenridge Secretary W. z.
Foster of the national committee for
organizing iron and steel workers
said:
"Well, it begins to look as though
we have some knowledge Of this stu
alton, even though 1t has been re-
peatedly stated by steel officers that
we were not over 15 per cent. organ
lied in mills of the Pittsburg dis
| trict
What would like the people to bear
in mind is the fact that this strike
is based on the refusal of Mr.. Gary
to meet with accredited representa-
tives Of the steel workers.
During the war possibly an ap-
peal TO the American sentiment might
have served the purpose of keeping
the men at their tasks. But Mr..
Gary is not the United States, nor
does he quite control 1t. He has
even refused to discuss the situation
with Bernard Baruch, who was dele
gated by President Wilson to see him
and persuade him to agree to a policy
of conciliation. The question OF
Americanism is being thrown into the
arena to divide workers and cause
dissension in the ranks"
The decision arrived at yesterday by
officials Of the big steel plants In this
district to shut down every mill in
which the employees did not prove 100
per cent. loyal was reversed to-day
Assured by county, city and State
constabulary authorities that fun pro-
lection would be given to every plant
and to men who desired TO remain at
work, It was decided TO fight the battle
to a finish.
Hardly had this agreement been
reached than preparations were under
way to "fortify" several Of the biggest
mills in the district. Searchlights by
the hundreds were rushed to Etna, Du-
quesne, Braddock, McKeesport and
many mills in the city proper. Work
men labored hard around the mill out
skirts hanging heavy wire entangle-
ments which are TO be charged with
electricity.
More than 10000 deputies were
sworn in In the district. among them