The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-09-24
MORE PLANTS
CLOSED IN THE
CHICAGO DIST.
UNIONS CLAIM GAINS
OF OVER 0,O0O MEN
No Signs Of Disorder and Pick
cts Joke With Policemen

CHICAGO. Sept. 23.-CosinG Of addi-
tional steel plants in South Chicago and
Indiana Harbor and absence of apprcci-
, ably increased activity in mills which
were attempting to operate with reduc-
! ed forces in Gary. marked the second day
OF the steel strike In the Chicago dis
trict-
Union leaders claimed gains Of approx
! imately 10000 in the number OF strikers
: Officials Of the United States Steel cur-
! poration plants maintained the rcticence
! which they have exhibited since the
, first strike murmurs were heard and
operators Of independent plants settled
/ down to q policy OF watchful waiting.
| Among the rank and file OF III" strik-
; ers the holiday aspects OF the walkout
! were accentuated. The moving picture
| houses and other recreation enterprises
| in the stel towns are booming and hast
| lily organized dances were advertised by
mushroom social clubs
No signs Of disorder were In evidence
at any Of the strike centres. On the
/ contrary union, piekets jolScd with tiit'
, policemen who kept them moving and
oven exchanged hadinage with company
guards posted about the entrances Of the
! plantA\
! Today only the Gary mills Of the
! United States Steel corporations. some
smaller plants in East Chicago and five
! independent plants in Hammond tried 70
operate
Lees IN Statement.
J. ". Lees. general superintendent OF
the Inland Steel company at Indiana
Harbor. explained that ne ordered s>ut
down rather than take the responsibility
for an Industrial warfare.
I'VE could have continued to operate.
he said but We were caught in the
| troubles Of the United States Steel cor
poration and evidently must halt while
| each side thinks things over.
Whether the employer secs II or nov.
the time has come TO share profits with
the men We have a bonus and profit
sharing system in our plant and the mon
who remained loyal will continue 10 re-
ceive their share Of the profits even
though the plant Is closed"
The union leaders Of the district met
IN Chicago late today and after their TO-
ports had been tabulatcd the claim of
$4,000 strikers as against yesterdays fi'
cures Of $500 was given out. J. H. DC
Young, who presided. said that the ma
tional strike committee would cspouse
the cause Of the engineers who quit
their posts at Gary despite orders TO the
contrary from the International Union
Of Steam Operating Engineers.
Blames Radical Element
Fl NJ. Comcrford. international sccrc'
tnry Of the engineers. blamed -an incor-
rGible radical element at Gary for the
happenings there and criticized the ac-
ton Of the committee which called the
big strike over recommendations to the
contrary from President Wilson ant
Samuel Gompers.
The strike Is not approved general,
by the conservative element In the labor
movement" ne said. 1T could not n
with such radical leadership"
The first court action OF the strike
came late today when tho Pollak Stee
company, manufacturing steel axels II
Chicago. asked an injunction agains
picketing Of its plant. directing the &C
tion against John Fitzpatrick and Viii
liam u. Foster. OF the national strike
committee, the South Chicago Unior
council and four pickets. The applica
tion will be heard tomorrow. The com
pany sets forth that its employees wert
willing TO work but that several hat
complained that they had been threaten
ed with bodily harm because Of their re
fusal to strike.