New-York tribune., 1919-09-22

peateQ, reinforced WITH SnOv0 from q
horses shoulder or a prod from club.
The crowds scrambled up the Hill and
backed down to the railway tracks
Turning, three of the troopers trotted
their horses over tho tracks. twisting
and whirlng and stirring the crowd into
little knots and always keeping them
moving. simultaneously others galloped
their horses up the steep incline on the
other side of the street and routed the
men from the bushes and groves.
Crowd Dispersed
Another knot of officers now came
up, working toward the first group, and
when they met there was no longer a
crowd, only thousands of individuals in
tent on getting away as rapidly AS they
troopers stayed with the retreating
crowd until it was driven into and dis
persed all up and down the streets of
McKeesport. Revolvers remained in
holsters and carbines in cases, and moth
ing more than the menace of clubs was
necessary.
In Clarion, however, some indivd-
uals were slow to respond to the COM
mands of the police and there was
some vigorous use Of the clubs. One
man was reported trampled. Sixteen
were dIIcSlCQ.
"Its a, queer business" mumbled
three or four men can make three or
four thousand do as they please"
When news Of the Clarion ana
McKeesport clashes we're brought TO
William D. Foster, secretary of the
central organizing committee of the
steel workers, he said:
"They can't pull that stuff any more.
Steps viii be taken to stop it here
after. These were orderly crowds as
sembling in their full right as Ameri-
can citizens" Mr.. Foster declined to
learned that he favors "using force
against force" Another meeting is
scheduled for the same place at Nc
keesport tomorrow, and Mr. Fosters
letaliatory steps. may then be in evil
dcncc. The crowds were quiet and we'll
behaved, but almost 100 per cent for
eign.
Leaders Warn Against Violence
Hall meetings were held with con-
currence of the authorities in Rankin,
Braddock, Homestead and South Pitts
burgh during the afternoon and even
ing. These meetings were quiet. The
speeches were all discreet and replete
with restraining advice. The auditors
wr warnd to keep away from the mills
and comport themselves in lawabid-
ing manner.
The speakers dwclt on the ultimate
purposes OF the organization move
In~nt, but said again and again that
the immediate cause of the strike was
to present Judge Gary and the United
States Steel Corporation with irresis-
tible proof that the committee of
twentyfour does represent the work
ers end to compel the prourietors to
deal with them as the representatives
of tho mon and "ta,5 things over, IS
has been done again and again in in
dustrNl troubles.'
There is much divergence of opinion
here as to the wisdom Of the authori-
,, ties in breaking up the open-air meet
ings in McKecsport and Charlton, al
though the general policy of the pub
lie officials is to forbid outdoor meet
lngs and permit indoor meetings, but
IN Mckccsport no meetings OF any
sort arc permitted. Strike leaders
say percmptoty action b. the police
vas playing into their hands.
At strike headquarters III McKces-
port there was steady stream of
loiners after the meeting had been
dispersed. and there was much grum-
bling and protesting on the part Of
men who had been deprived Of last
hour addresses from their leaders,
Hope was expressed that the officials
would permit to-morrow's meeting.
On the eve of the strike there was
still great uncertainty as to its de-
gree of effectiveness here or elsewhere.
The crowds st the McKeesport gather
ing indicate great strength in the mills
in that vicinity. Strikers admitted
that they were weak in the Duquesne
mills, and tho Braddock meeting was
not large enough to indicate much
strength there.
On the surface OF things the workers
IN the mills of the Steel Corporation
at Homestead seemed to he Standing
almost 100 per cent loyal. and Burgess
McGuire declared that he was con
vinced that less than a thousand srcn
out OF twelve thousand would 30 out,
and those almost entirely Russians.
Practically every American and almost
all tho nom Russian Slavs are standing
firm. he says. The strike movement in
Homestead, he says, is purely Bolshe-
vlk as far as it exists.
Reports from Doncrc, whore there is
= big plant Of the American Steel and
Wire Company. indicated the loyal
forces wore disintegrating.
The outlook at Clarion, where are
located extensive by-product coke
ovens of the Steel Corporation, was
heId most uncertain, with chances IA
vorng a heavy walkout there to-naor-
row morning. This is an industrial,
centre of prime Importance, as it pro-
ducos the coke gas, tar and other by
/ products used in other plants. If the