New-York tribune., 1919-10-06
Homestead Plants Work
at go Per Cent Full''
Production, OthersNear
Normal, Says Statement
Unions Bank on
A. F. of L. Meeting
Attempt to Reopen Idle
Mills in the Youngstown
District Planned To-day
By Theodore M. Knappen

PITTSBURGH. Oct. 5.-The third
week of the steel strike began tonight
with an announcement from the
Carnegie Steel Company that was al
mos. a declaration Of triumph.
1t contained the positive statement,
made for the first time, that the great
Homestead works are running so per
cent full
The statement was made regarding
the Clarion mills, which were virtual
y silenced in the first days of the
strike, that they had attained normal
production. Taken at its face value,
the statement in regard to Clarion in
dicates rout of the strikers there.
Like information was given concern
ing the mills at farrell. Sharon and
New Castle The Edgar Thompson
plant at Braddock was appraised at 80
per cent normal. The Youngstown
plant was the only one for which no
statement was made. 1t was closed
tight at the beginning of the strike,
but during the last few days about
thousand men have been engaged there
in repair and cleaning up work.
The Edgar Thomson plant was re-
ported as slowly gaining ali last week,
but the declaration that it was up to
50 per cent of normal production was
surprise. This statement was sup
ported by an announcement directly
Hn Arl- !, ho Ii
was up to 90 per cent.
The steel strikers held many orderly
meetings in the Pittsburgh district to-
day while the officials of the steel mills
IN the Allegheny and Monongahela
valleys that have been shut down were
planning to reopen tomorrow. Re-
ports from Ohio points indicated that
contrary to previous information no
general effort would be made to resume
operations tomorrow. Plants at Dono-
fa and Monessen, in the upper Monon-
eahela. which have been closed ever
since the strike began, or before, are
scheduled to open their doors tO-mor
row and additional state police have
been called and more local deputies
have been sworn in, in anticipation of
trouble
Strikers Claim Gains
". r. Rubin. counsel to the strike
committee, returned to Pittsburgh to-
cay and went TO work collecting and
3ermuatIng testimony to put before
,he Senate Committee on Education on
Labor, which is expected here Tues
cay or Wednesday, though individual
members may arrive sooner. Mr.. Ru
bin has l2l clients ct Clarion, who
nave been arrested since the beginning
o. the strike, and he has engaged
hall there in which to confer with them
tomorrow. He said to-day that he was
wondering whether the authorities
would attempt to break up the meet
ing"
As an evidence Of the effects of the
s'rlke, it was stated at strike head
quarters that 200 train crews have
Deen laid off in Youngstown and fifty
III Cleveland. Confidence was expressed
mat the operators would not long be
ape to endure the virtual paralysis of
she steel Industry that the strike has
wrought, especially as the shortage of
s.eei VIII soon begin to affect many
olner industries.
Await Action To-day
Both sides are e~pectantly awaiting
she outcome Of the meeting in Wash
.i'gton tomorrow night Of the execu-
I'VE council Of the American Fedora
.oh Of Labor, the presidents OF the
.senty-four international unions in
owed IN the steel strike and some Of
he'r delegatiye representatives. on the
committee OF twcnty-four international
sS1ecutiYes for organizing and conduct
.ns me strike. The strikers expect to
wa" great encouragement from that
ncs.n2, and the steel company otti-
.I@'s Tear That it may lead to some ex-
.ssnsion Of the strike that will take
mem on an exposed flank As direct
'"test they consider that the strike
already IN defeat, but they are fear
~ OF sone unforeseen and untoward
,s.'e.opments, such as, for instance,
s"s involvement Of the railway train
"'Sn 10 the steel family row.
rei'ner side looks for anything but
,mhg struggle now, but it is apparent
40. 10y barring external complications the
.a.Hs IRON now on will be with the
ssst,a"oFs The strikers will hence
tsu Axht rcar-Huard action, with
,-ps ,psS u making victory only less
ssI than defeat and with the ever
vsssht chance Of ramihcation of the
...'<s into other fields. The con-
."suS here Is tnat the first Of No
{mDef vii wtncss strike Of the
rts.Mihous coal mine1B throughout the
,,..hlfy, IN so far an they are in the
,'yHs. such A strike would affect the
~ plants directly to certain cx-
sNnt and indirectly through the effects
s~,soid have on the railways and the
E.oHc IN general. There is algo the
s,enacinx attitude Of the railway en-
DE- mo are expected 10 renew their
k,@has Tor wage jncrcases after the
! o.. .oay truce 70 see whether the
a % iiying may be reduced.
keeping their strike alive, what.
~ trend. the steel strikers would
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