Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-25
SAYS
MEN GO BACK
ONLYFOR us,
Fitzpatrick Tells Senate
Probe Body, Workers
Demand Justice.

Washington. Sept 25.-EYcu
should the United States steel
corporation consent 10 meet
Representatives Of the men, the
nationwide strike OF steel
workers could not now he call
ed off, in the opinion Of John
Fitzpatrick, chairman of the
strikers committee. as eX-
pressed today ut the opening
of the senate labor commit
tees investigation Of the
strike.
-The $4,000 men on strike
Fitzpatrick declared. 4are gO-
ing to demand from the United
States government justice, de-
cent Justice
Senate investigation OF the ma
tion-wide strike of steel workers
to determine whether remedial ac-
ton can be taken by the federal
government was opened today with
John Fitzpatrick, chairman of the
union committee conducting the
strike, as the first witness before
the education and labor commit
tee
Fitzpatrick was late in arriving
from Pittsburgh, and hurried TO
the committee room which was
crowded with senators and repre-
sentatives and others interested.
Asks About Gary.
He was accompanied by William
H. Rubin, counsel for the steel strik-
ers, who at the outset of the hear
ing asked what assurance had been
given by Judge Ebert H. Gary,
chairman of the board of the Unit
ed States Steel corporation that he
would appear before the committee
next Wednesday.
Senator Kenyon replied that
Judge Gary had telephoned him
that he would be present Wednes-
day and added that until that time
we will not question his being
here"
Rubin requested that the com
mittee place in the record CORE
spondence between Joseph p Tu-
multy. secretary to the president;
Samuel GOmpers, president Of the
American Federation OF Labor, and
Chairman Fitzpatrick regarding ef-
forts to postpone the strike. Sen
ator Kenyon asked Rubin to read
the kilograms and letters, which
already have been published.
Reviews History Of Case.
Fitzpatrick opened his statement
with what he said was a brief his
tory Of labor conditions in the steel
industry.
with the creation of the steel
corporation a campaign was begun
with the object Of pushing organ
lied labor ont Of the mills" he
said. "a great sum of money.
don't know whether il was $4,000,
600 or $20,000,000 was appropria
ted.
In recent years labor has begun
to realize the tremendous impOT
tance of the steel industry aad its
influence on other industries
while we are getting tho S-hour
day and better working conditions
elsewhere. the steel mills still cp
Grated with very long hours and
with wages below the proper line
Labor understood then the neceE-
sity of organizing the steel indus
try for the purpose of controlling
its effects on the others. and at the
last two conventions Of the fedora
tion of labor the step was author
ized 50
Planned Campaign.
Fitzpatrick said representatives
of "a international unions affiliated
with the American Federation Of
Labor met in Chicago about yeg~
ago and effected a campaign COM
mittee to organize the steel work
ers Samuel Gompers was elected
chairman and William T. Foster
Men and money, the
said. We're assembled. hu.
funds we're so limited that tho in
itial organization efforts were con
fined TO the Calumet district, in
Chicago and Garv, Ind
THE men in the steel milla'
continued. were look
ing for relief. They had no hone,
They responded in large numbers
and It was only a short time until
W had a very strong organization.
First Of Unionlsm.
"Up TO that time there had heen
no unionism in the steel Mills
asked Chairman Kenyon.
NO" Fitzpatrick replied
about thar time, October, 1918,
the steel corporation was resort
ing to every effort to force action
upon the part of the men or of the
labor organizations to spread their
influence They announced estab-
lishment of the S-hour day and We
knew that was an effort TO prevent
our organization.
Senator Jones. Democrat, New
Mexico. asked whether the en-
nIOves had made 9pDIicaffDn to fle
Federation of Labor for
or whether the move
ment had been initiated by the
American Federation of Labor
Initiated by 4. T. Of I.
''The American Federation Of La
Dor initiated the movement" Fitz-
patrick replied.
.-Mas there no moKement Of the