The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1919-10-18
sIDELIGHrs ON THE STEEL STRIKE

w AhC hh<H AAsA~N ~
The steel strike hearings are bringing out a varied lot Of
testimony. What Judge Gary and Mr.. Fitzpatrick say is not
so important as what actual laborers in the mills have been
saying. Here is one excerpt worth reprinting:
James Sinclair said he was a heater at the Duquesne, Pa
works, where 5000 men were employed before the strike.
His wages, he said, averaged $i2 a day.
How many men have gone out there?" asked
Chairman Kenyon.
"What reason did they have for going out?"
~ really kont know. The men were satisfied.
Some went out and came back after two or three days.
They told me they were afraid of the strikers"
=
John J. Martin, Youngstown, o. said the majority of
there were foreigners.
"The Americans held a meeting day before yes
terday." he said, land we voted unanimously against
afniating with union organizations"
Here is another bit along the same line:
I'm positive, from talking with those foreigners,
that they don't know what the twelve grievances
are" Martin said. "The reason most of them are in
the unions was because Americans were not asked
TO join. l think somebody's got in and scuttled the
American Federation of Labor"
"Who's doing the scuttling?" asked Senator Nc
SKellar.
81 think John Fitzpatrick, ably seconded by w. q.
Foster, is the king bee in the scuttling," Martin said,
land that they are heading a band of buccaneers, who
will. if they are not stopped, succeed IN overthrow
ing the American government.
"f | had my way, I'd pick Mr.. Foster and some
of these mOnomaniacs up and have them examined.
The American Federation of Labor has always con-
Quoted constructive strikes. This outbreak is purely
destructive, to break things up"
The American Federation of Labor is probably aware Of
Tie danger that threatens it is a conservative and constructive
organization. The battle in that organization between the con-
structive and destructive forces has often been fought out
before. In the steel industry it looks as if the radicals have
taken the leadership land the radicals are not entitled TO use
The name of the American Federation of Labor, for that organi-
cation, as we understand it, is not committed to the radical
doctrines of syndicalism.
One bit of Mr.. Gary's testimony, also will bear repeating,
relating as it does to the hours of labor. There are now many
steel mill workers who work from ten to even twelve hours
at q stretch. but they have corresponding time off. There are
certain processes in the mills that are better done by a man
staying on the job until it is finished. But Mr.. Gary said that
If the men. that is the workers, desired the eight hour day
ihey would be glad to rearrange the work in the mills to COR
respond. That is a frank admission and if the men who do the
work want the eight hour day, instead of time off, all they
have to do to get it is to say so.
The following bears IN the efforts that the mills have
u AIDE to meet the requirements of decent working conditions:
MI Gary said the steel corporation had expended
$32OOO,OO0 on residences for its employees and had
100000 in houses not yet completed.
ION our rented houses" he said, 1.-THE rent has
not been increased since 1914. Since 1912 we have
jaid out for welfare work $65,7o0OOO'
Mr.. Gary added that during the same period the company
had built forty-seven schools and twentythree churches. Stock
in The company, he said, is now owned by $1,000 employees.
II don't think the labor unions are one-tenth as much
in the welfare of our men as we are" said Mr..
Gary.
But the men who belong to the Foster school of syndi-
calism necessarily view all such things done for the men as
efforts to bride them and to debauch their judgment. The
do not want peace and harmony and labor pros
perity-those are the very things they do not want. They want
war TO the hlt of the knife and their object is to overthrow
what we have in this country and substitute a soviet for 1t.
They would Russianize the United States. OF this there neeu
g no doubt. The radical elements are aiming to get control
not only of the American Federation of Labor, but OF the
american republic itself. But they will get neither, for there
is still too much conscience and patriotism left in this country
and in its people.