Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-10-04
HEAD OF STEEL STRIKE con-
FRoNTED BY HIS PRINTED
UTTERANcEs.
SAYS HE HAS CHANGED
SOME OF MS VIEWS
Insists He Has Not Been Member OF
!. W. W. For Five Years-Commit-
teensn Force Foster to Answer Some
Pointed Questions Ahho Witness 10
ReIuctsnt-book Written Read.

| Washington, Oct. An the face or
a severe griIling by members Of the
senate labor committee, William u.
Foster. secretary for the steel strikers
organization committee. renowned the
creed he preached in his Red" pamph-
let's some years ago. and gave assur-
ances that the steel strike was being
conducted in strict accord with princi-
pies OF the American Federation OF
Labor.
Mr.. Foster told the committee he
did not consider his personal views
an issue in the strike, insisted that
his authority amounted to nothing in
| determining the policies Of the strik-
ers, and asserted that all questions
were passed upon by the entire COM
mittee. composed OF the twenty four
| presidents Of the unions directly In
| VOWED in the conflict.
Mild hammered Individual.
Members of the committee were
| somewhat surprised at the appearance
| Of Foster when he took his seat to
| testify. Instead Of the violent per-
sonality they had pictured from the
| tone Of his pamphlets. they saw a
mild hammered, rather unimpressive
somewhat shy individual, who bore
himself courteously and respectfully
| at all times.
The strike leader had been on the
stand only a few minutes when Sem
ator McKellar OF Tennessee thrust his
! Red pamphlet before him and set
of rapid fire series OF questions TO
ascertain Just what views Foster enter
| tains today.
At first the witness seemed unwilling
to answer. He lodged again and again
| when Senator Mcclellan read violent
extracts from his writing and asked
him whether he still subscribed to such
doctrines.
Afraid of the Press.
| He insisted his answers had nothing
to do with the strike, that the steel cor
| poration had merely thrust him for
ward as an issue to camou1age the
real question, and complained bitterly
that the press would 1nisrepresent
everything he said.
| Persuaded to answer the questions,
Foster made a reply to the general ef-
feet that he had been born in the
slums, brought up In an environment
| which greatly embtttered him In HIS
younger days and that since he had
grown to be more tolerant and patient
| with conditions he had seen the folly
Of sentiments he expressed in his early
| writings.
He had undergone a great change Of
mind in the last eight or nine years, he
declared, and was now convinced that
the orderly methods Of American and
English labor were much better calcu-
lated to improve the condition of work.
ingmen than the radical tactics of the
I. w. w.
Has Gone Back On !. W. W.
Over and over again Foster asserted
that the real issue 10 the strike was
not his theory of government, whatever
it was. but recognition by the steel
corporation Of the right Of collective
bargaining.
Foster was once a leader in the I.
W. W. He admitted this, but added
that after the L w. w. convention in
Budapest IN 1911 he saw enough Of 1t
and quit the organization. He denied
that he was a "syndicalist," but adj
rnitted he had leanings in that direc-
ton some years ago.
In contradiction Of the charges OF
bolshevism against him, Foster sub
mitted copy of a letter written ny
Judge Samuel Alschuler, Of Chicago,
testifyidg to his moderation, fairness,
and change OF mind from the radical
tendencies Of his youth. In response
to questions, he also said his attitude
during the war was that Germany
must be defeated at whatever cost,
and that he made speeches and sub
scribed his bit in the Liberty loan cam
paigns.
Not for Sympathy Strikes.
He declared there was no effort be-
ing made to start any general strike,
and that he didn't consider sympathy
strikes helpful
The investigation at times took on
the appearance Of a bolshevist trial
or an institute OF modern philosophy
The discussion ranging all the way
from race suicide to syndicalism. Mr.
Foster was confronted again and again
with samples of his early writings, and
when he left the stand he agreed
heartily as Senator Kenyon, chairman
quoted, ION, that mine enemy had
written book"
Forced to Answer.
At the outset of his testimony Eos
ter by direction Of Chairman Kenyon
outlined at some length the reasons
terrupted to ask:
Are you in favor Of organized gov
ernment?"
: Foster laughed.
\ II see you have that red book" HI
: remarked, referring to the pamphlet
'syndicaiism.r
|. Il have and I'm going to read som'
Of it." Senator Mcclellan said.
Ill After reading several paragraph
the senator asked:
rs that your beliefF'
IT'S my composition" Foster re
piled.
Il want an answer to that question,
Senator McKe1lar persisted.
"A Little Less Radical"
THAT was written eight or min
II years ago." Foster said. AT that tim
II well, I may say I'm one who wa
/ raised In the slums. I've knocke
, around. seen many things I d!dn'
I, agree with. At that time I was
q follower Of the Spanish, French, 1tal
g ian union system Today I've becom