The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-09-26
Senate Labor Committee Hear
ing to Investigate Steel Work
ers' Complaints Develops Bit
ter Undercurrent.
UNION LEADERS HOLD
OUT OLIVE BRANCH
Both Sides Claim Advantage in
Fourth Day of Strife-Chica-
go Mills Appear to Show In
creased Activity.

Interest in the great struggle in the
steel industry shifted yesterday TO
Washington where the labor commit
tee of the senate opened an inyestiEa-
ton with the avowed intention or dis
covering if the situation in any way
can be relieved by federal action.
Meanwhile no change was reported in
the actual strike centers. IT was Ia
boris day in court for the first wit
ness called was John Fitzpatrick,
chairman of the national Steel workers
corxmittee. The employers turn viii
come next Wednesday when Elbert
III. Gary, chairman of the board of di-
rectors of the United States Steel
Corporation, presents the case for cap
ital.
liz Is the expressed hope of the COM
r1ittee that the inye estiglticn will lay
bare the underlying causes of the
struggle which is threatening the
economic interests of the nation. The
committee also is expected to investi-
gate charges made on the floor OF the
sersate and elsewhere that more sir
ix,cr motives are involved than the os-
! tersible one os the right o. the work
e~s TO organize.
Nj Fitzpa triolS declared early in his
Testimony that even the consent of the
Slaei corporation officials to meet the
h4r.on represenativ would not now
eni the strike, rn.css they agreed to
|Grbstrate. He asse:tad the strikers
1iateLded to deman1. decent justice"
|tvcn, the United States government"
81 far as actual conditions of the
battle line We're caassrned, the most
important definite news came from the
Chicago district where both sides
~ = Il
Marriages. Steel corporation officials
arcunced the steel and slab mills of
me part operation today. thes most
extensive resumption claimed IN the
district since the strike was declared.
Offseting this. 1876 steam engineers en-.
Dloyed in the Illinois Steel companys
plant in the same town were called
out by their local. raising again the
possibility OF "A general walk out by
this most important branch of the
workers.
In the Mahoning Valley district of
Ohio, the complete paralysis of the
Industry achieved by the strikers con-
tinued and the success on the Ohio sec
tor was emphasized by the closing of
the plant or the bar mill Empire Roll
ing company, with the exception OF
the sheet mill department which en-
ploys only 500 men. This department
is the only mill now operating in
Cleveland.
But the issue in the great Pittburg
area where both sides concede the
struggle must be won or lost, remains
uncertain. Corporation officials again
asserted today that strikers were re-
turning to work admitting the number
was not large but terming 1t steady.
These claims were as usual disputed by
the strike leaders. w. u. Foster sec
retary of the strike committee called
the situation better than ever and
predicted interesting Developments
within "A few days. He declined to
be more specific.
Farrell Pa. where the first blood
shed occurred in the sporadic rioting
which marked the beginning of the
struggle. was again the scene of a
fatality today. A Serbian was shot
and Filled by state trooper during
the search of house suspected of be-
ing a sniping post from which shots
had been fired at a steel plant
PittSourg. Sept. 25.-There was little
disorder through the various steel