The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-06
STEEL UNIONS
PUT STRIKE UP
TO PRESIDENT
GOmpers Sends Ultimatum
to Wilson for Answer Be-
fore Next Tuesday.
CALLS SITUATION AWFUL
Walkout, 1t Is Said, Hinges
on Getting a Conference
With the Corporation.
CALLS SITUATION AWFUL
SPECIAL pespatch to THE srx.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5.-Samuel Com
pers, president OF the American FEEDER
alton Of Labor, and the executive COM
mittee of the iron and steel workers
International unions passed up to the
President to-day the problem of pre-
venting a nationwide strike in the iron
and steel industries that would go far
toward ending the labor truce and up
setting the efforts at sterilization and
price reduction that are under way.
In a telegram to the President Mr..
Gompers and the officers Of the iron
and steel unions declared that the sit
uation was beyond their control, and
they passed the problem and the re-
sronsibility to the White House. They
asked for immediate action, indicating
that something would have to be done
before next Tuesday.
President Wilson had given assur-
ance to the labor leaders at the White
House last week that he would do all
possible with respect to preventing the
impending strike in the iron and steel
industry. 1t was expected that he would
invite Judge Gary. chairman of the
board of the United States Steel Cor
poration, and other officials of that or
ganizatlon to Washington. Presidents
of the twenty-four international unions
in the steel trade will be IN Washington
Tuesday and the labor leaders asked for
a reply from the President before that
day.
The telegram signed by Mr.. Gompers
and the executive committee follows:
The executive committee representing
the various International unions in the
iron and steel industry met to-day to
consider the awful situation which ex-
lists in many of the iron and steel in
dustrial centres. The coercion, the bru-
tality employed to prevent men and
unions from meeting in halls engaged.
upon private property. in the open air;
the thuggery of the corporations en-
issaries. the wholesale discharge Of
numbers of men for no reason than the
one assigned. that they have become
members of the union. have brought
about a situation that it is exceedingly
6ignation of the men and the resistance
that they declare it is their purpose to
present.
The executive committee, relying upon
the case as presented to you last
week and your earnest declara-
tion TO endeavor 10 bring about
a conference for the honorable and
peaceful adjustment of the matters in
contI oversy. have thus far been enabled
to prevail upon the men not TO engage in
a general strike. We cannot now affirm
how much longer we shall be able TO
exert that influence, but we urge you.
even in the great work in which you are
engaged, to give prompt attention to
this most vital Of issues for, IL the men
can no longer be restrained, II Is impossi-
BILE to foretell what the future may hold
in store for an Industrial crisis which
may eDsue and Illustrate the project
which you have worked at for peaceful
and honorable adjustment OF Industrial
affairs in our country.
"A meeting OF all presidents OF the
twenty-four International unions in the
steel industry has been called to take
place on Tuesday, September 3, i'm Wash
ington, to take such action as they NAV
deem necessary. May we not have your
reply on or before that time as to
whether or not a conference with the
Steel Corporation is possible?"
ST. LOUIS, Sept. 5.-President Wilson
replied to-day to a telegram sent him by
Samuel Gompers, president OF the Amer
the steel workers. The President did
not disclose the nature OF his answer re-
marking that he did not care TO an
nounce II at this time