Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-10-01
FIRST Statement
made SINCE STRIKE
GIVEN SENATE TODAY
Washington, Oct. l. - Denying that the
United States Steel Corporation had mistreated
it's men, as charged by union labor leaders, Judge

man of the corporation,
told the senate commit
tee Investigating the steel strike to-
day that in his opinion there was no
basic industry in the world which
had paid larger wages than his COM
pany.
1T has been stated before this COM
mittee,' said Judge Gary that the
steel companies have been guilty OF
i'll treatment of their employees. Some
statements have been made on mis-
information and some absolutely
without foundation.
Il wish to state, Mr.. Chairman, that
there is no basic industry in this
country nor in the world, in my
opinion, which has paid larger wages
than the United States Steel Corpor-
alton and perhaps not as large. nor
has treated their employees in greater
respect and consideration. II as great
1T has been charged that during
the pending strike the subsidiary
companies have been guilty OF at
lacking and mistreating employees.
There isn't a vestige Of truth in
that statement Photographs were
displayed here and it was said
woman was killed This photograph
| has been posted all over America,
with IA line over it, Mrs. Fannie Sell
Inns Body Ghoulishly Mistreated by
the Steel Trusts Fiendish Crew
''She was shot at breckenridge, Pa
We have no works there, no men
there. If she was killed it was with
out even the knowledge Of the steel
corporation or any of its employees"
! He added that It was possible that
some of the company's guards had
/ participated in disturbances since the
steel strike began. but pointed out
that Mrs lSellens was killed before the
strike started
Referring to testimony of President
Gompers of the American Federation
of Labor that jefferson d. Pierce,
| union organizer, had been beaten by
company agents while attempting to
organize unions in the steel mills and
| died from injuries, Judge Gary read
an affidavit which he said had been
! sent to his Office on Sept q by
| l'ierce's son
Il was with my father the night he
deceived his injuries said the affi-
/ dayit and he said they were not
| caused by any agents of the steel cor
/ poration
tie was injured by member Of the
/ l. w w. faction which was endeavor-
! ing to gain control OF the organiza-
/ tiOn ! wish TO retule most emphatic
/ ally the charge of Mr.. Gompers that
! his death vas caused hy any agent OF
J the United States Steel Corporation.
+ He died one wear later Of cancer re-
| sulting from the wound y
Judge Gary then took up the state
ment of John Fitzpatrick, chairman
of the steel strikers committee that
men had been killed hammond, ln1.,
during the steel strike
We have no connection with the
/ Standard steel Company there" he
said. and had no connection with the
4 incident"
Senator Mckellar Democart, Ten
nessee, said it was contended that the
hours of labor in the steel mills were
unusually long.
81 want TO refer 10 wages first, - said
Judge Gary. The lowest wage rates
paid by the corporation to unskilled
labor working ten hours a day are AZ
d,,,. ,i,n 70 .ants NOR hour for ten
L"! hoI,,.l r' and for mo borrs over eight
,i,'a ana ba,f 10 Maid That is at
a rate OF S. cents an hour, making
go ro, aov"
The present average wage or I'M
skilled lahorers of the corporation the
u.i,re.e s,id l. 4, Nor day and of the
'Nit,ra ,,na.s s'.,D ,na onon shon ,roioct be