Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-10-03
STEEL HEAD SAYS
CLOSED SHOP WILL
HALT PROSPERITY
Union Control Means Decay,
He Adds, Denying Charges
of Brutality Made Against
the Operators

WASHINGTON, Oct. Flat re-
tusal to deal with union labor was
made to the senate labor commit
tee today by Judge Gary, chief of
the United States Steel corporation.
In face of repeated questioning,
the industrial leader stood without
budging on his contention that to
deal with union leaders would result
in the closed shop, a thing which
he declared would be "inimicaT" to
the country and prevent industrial
prosperity.
Judge Gary refused to give ground
under the barrage of questions which
senator's fired at him.
you are on the defensive" Sena-
tor Walsh, Massachusetts, told Judge
Gary, but the steel magnate refused
to weaken in his refusal to meet Ia
Dor leaders.
He will not object to meeting Mr..
Gompers at the coming industrial
conference, believing that there Mr..
Gompers will not be the official rep
resentative of any particular group
of employees, he said.
Judge Gary declined to disclose the
contents of messages sent him by
President Wilson in an effort to
avert the steel strike. He said he
did not regard it as proper for him
to make the communications public,
but Chairman Kenyon asked him to
think over his refusal while the COM
mittee was in recess for lunch.
Reiterating the "open shop" was
the big issue in the present strike,
Judge Gary declared it was "the
opinion of the world that open shops
mean more production, better methods
and more prosperity, and thatclosed
shops mean lower production and less
prosperity"
Here were these men, said
Judge Gary, referring to the steel
workers national committee, start
ing out, not for better pay, for bet
ter conditions-we'd never heard of
their twelve points-but to get con-
troll of this industry. And what that
means l think you know"
If unions control industries in the
United States, at means decay and
the dropping of production" Judge
Gary declared.
'It means this country cannot
keep up in the race with the world"
said Mr. Gary. 1T means the con-
dition I fear England is in today"
This strike has been conducted
in many respects like other strikes"
Mr.. Gary continued. "Only worse in
some of it's features. The large
majority of our wcrkmen were not
DESTROYS of engaging in a strike.
"They were not members of any
labor unions. They had declined to
become such year after year.
1.-THE men did not strike of their
own volition,' continued Judge Gary.
"They were taken out by the con-
slant effort of union leaders to bring
about strike. Threats had been
made-we have a great deal of hear
say testimony that families were
told their children would be killed,
their houses burned, if the men
didn't go out. Large numbers of men
remained away from work because
they were afraid.
WASHINGTON, Oct. Fudge E.
H. Gary, chairman Of the board of
the United Steel corporation, was
ready to submit to further question
ing today when the senate labor
committee resumed it's investiga-
ton of the controversies between
workers and employers in the steel
industry.
After conclusion of testimony by
Judge Gary, who yesterday told
the committee that the sole issue
in the present steel strike was that
involving the right of man to
work irrespective of union or non
union affiliation, the committee will
hear William z. Foster, secretary
of the strikers committee.
Average Pay
The present average wage Of I'M
skilled laborers of the corporation,
the witness said, is IS per day and
of the skilled $3.50.
Under the open shop practice -
he said, "the man is treated accord
ing to his merits"
"How much do you pay superin-
tendents?" asked Senator Kenyon.
GAS high as $1,000 or $4,000 a
year."
How many rollers have you at s32
q day."
"I believe there's only one, but
there are many at $29, $28, and sgt
a day."
Ten or twelve?'
ooh, more than that"
"Is it not the fact that up to date
rolling mills are automatic" senator
Phillips interposed, land that the
rollers main duty is to know that his
rolls are properly adjusted"
You're right" said Judge Gary.
Thine high pay is for his skill. None
of thes men perform manual labor.
He touches a button, or pulls a
1over''