The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-09-29
BETHLEHEM IS
NOT AFFECTED
Labor Shortage Proves Some
what Of Handicap to
Steel Plants.
SITUATION NOT ALARMING
10y GEORGE r. hoLMEsA

(BY GEORGE r. HOlMES.)
Bethlehem. Pa. Sept. 29,--Qnterna-
tional News Service.)-All the de-
partments of the Bethlehem Steel
company's plant here resumed opera
tions this morning despite the strike
order issued from strike headquar-
ters in Pittsburgh. Some of the
plants were crippled. officials ad-
mitted. but sufficient employees
showed up to permit operations.
Definite ngures on the number of
men who actually struck were difh-
cult to obtain. Labor leaders as
serted that the Bethlehem mills We've
the best organized in the industry
ard they had expected that from 80
to 80 per cent. of the employees would
comply with the strike order.
Whether this ercentage remained
away from the mills today could not
he ascertained.
The strike was ushered In with
absolute quiet. One arrest was made,
VIM. ]. B Inning. secretary of a local
union, being taken into custody on a
charge of intimidating employees OF
the steel companies not to go to the
factory.
Pittsburgh, Pa, Sept. 29.--U. N. 81
The second week of the nationwide
steel strike started today with both
operators and strikes claiming the
progress which win insure ultimate
victory.
Operators confidently asserted that
the worst Is over, that the strike had
shot it's bolt" in the first week with
out winning and that from now on a
steady increase can be expected in
production and resumption of the in
dustry generally. An air of optimism
pervaded steel circles generally de-
spite the throwing into effect of the
strike order at the Schwab plants at
Bethlehem. Steelton and other east
ern Pennsylvania points.
For the first time since the strike
started, the Carnegie plants at Home
stead declared today every depart
ment operating 100 per cent The
plants there continued to operate all
week, though handicapped by the
shortage of common labor. The over =
the-week returns were sufficient to
resume full operations. according to
mill officials. Duquesne McKees-
port, Eraddock. Breckenridge and
other points in the heart of the west
ern Pennsylvania district reported
considerable accessions to their forces
over Sunday. The situation in the
Pittsburgh district as portrayed al
strike headquarters was little
changed. Constant small additions
to the ranks of the strikers were
claimed and it was asserted that
many men who worked last week
would be missing from the mills this
week.
THE mills are snakirg lot OF
smoke and noise" said William q
Foster, the generaliss.no Of the strik
ers here, but they are doing little il
any real production.
The week end, which had been gen.
orally feared by officials who antici-
pated disorder. passed quietly
enough. Two youths were injured in
minor disorders which had little
bearing on the strike. Strikers held
meetings in several districts under
police supervision, with no trouble
occurring.
Four Shots Fired.
Four shots were fired into the plant
hl lNol vi IdI Nv lOl e hoN IL lIIS
morning. Police made a run to the
scene, but all was quiet when they
reached there. Two men were ar
rested as being suspicious persons
For the first time since the strike
was called serious attempts at pick
citing the steel plants were made to-
day at Braddock and Rankin. The
state constabuiary and local author
4
pickets, but in Rankin they worked
unmolested and persuaded many men
not to enter the mills.
Situation Unchanged.
Youngstown, O., Sept. 29.-The
second week of the iron and steel
workers strike here started today
with the situation unchanged. No
attempts were made to resume opera
tons of the plants which were closed
down.
Mills Shut Down.
Weirton, w. Va, Sept. 29.--The
mills of the Weirton Steel company,
against which Steubenvile strikers
had threatened to march, were prac-
tically down today. Twenty-six tin
mills failed to resume operations, but
the steel mill proDer, employing 500
men, was still running. About $500
men are out.
Claims Plant Crippled.
Pittsburgh. Sept 29.-Steel strike
headquarters today gave out the fol-
lowing telegram from David Williams
in charge of the strike at the Bethele-
hem plant at Bethlehem, Pa: Beth
lehem plant completely crippled by
strike. Power 'ant shut down"
Bethlehem Plants.
Bethlehem, Pa, Sept. ga. PD-
The Bethlehem plant OF the Bethle-
hem Steel corporation was very little
affected this morning by the strike
which had been called from Pitts
burg ami there was no semblance oi
disorder at the entrances to the va
rious plants when the shifts changed
at 6 a. m. and again at 1880 o'clock
Virtually the same number of en-
ployes appeared in the various de-
partments as worked last week, save
that number of machinists left with
their tools. The latter were sad by
the company officials to be mostly OF
the floating order who had been en-
ployed during the war. 1t could not
be learned how many men came out
at the 1880 shift. The test is ex-
ffaat;an.l