Evening star., 1919-10-04
T0MOVE HEARINGS
| TOSTEEL DISTRICT
Highly Paid Workers Tell
Senators Strike Was
Unnecessary.

Unnecessary.
UNION METHODS SCORED
Having heard representatives OF Or
ganized labor, Elbert H. Gary. chair
man of the board of the United States
Steel Corporation. and number OF
steel mill workers. the Senate COM
mittee investigating the steel strike
voted today to transfer its inquiry
into the field at and around PITTS
burgh The dates and arrangements
for the trip will be announced after
Chairman Kenyon has conferred with
members of the committee who were
absent today.
Call Walk-out Unnecessary.
Four high-paid steel mill workers
who are opposed to the present strike
were heard today. They said the
walk-out was unnecessary and tnat
conditions in the steel mills were sat
isfactory. Two of the witnesses, T. T.
Davies of Newcastle, Pa, and Joseph
Smith of Homestead, Pa, attacked the
methods employed by union organ
ixers in the mills, Davies declaring
that their activities had all the eie-
ments of conspiracy.
Foreign. workmen, In some cases,
he said, expect it to result in soviet
operation of the mills.
These men moved mysteriously
around the plant" Davies declared,
who said he represented the sentiment
Of 5000 tin workers. We kept hear
an hot N n
plants, paralyze operations.
Closed Shop, Reported Aim.
them. explained they were going to
ret the closed shop
president Wilson, President Com
pers," they all say. ARE with u.s. You
Americans can't work here afterward-
Nothing but union men.
wen get the check-of system
they said, and collect all the union
dues
"Some of them explained to me:
We won't need bosses after this; COM
mittees will run mills.
Workers Intimidated, Davies Says.
Davies said some workers were in
timidated, because they ARE told their
houses will be blown up and their
wives killed"
When the strike was called, Davies
said. he and other workmen trying to
get into the mills were attacked by
pickets at the gates.
They whipped the city police. they
whipped the county police" Davies
said, 'and beat men trying to go to
work There were 500 foreigners
around the mill gates, and until re-
turned soldiers took charge of the sit
uatioD there was a continuous fight"
Got $17a a Day as Roller.
Davies said his own earnings were
$17 . day. IS q roller. He said he
Vas . r. n C A. worker in France
-In the mills. when complaints
arise. can they be put up to the fore
man In S the mills" Senator Phipps,
fepuhlicAp. spf Colorado. asked.
The shumblest man in the mill can
eomplstA to the foreman" Davies
eaid. and Il he doesn't settle it he
eAn 30 by him to the superintendent
That's been the practice to my
knovledge for years. Men are well
coined when they have just COM
plaints."
Tells Of Adjustments.
He told Of several instances where
individuals and committees from the
working force had secured adjust
xnents For most OF the employees. he
ee1As tan hours was day.
he3n IT It thirty four years. Nobody I
know works seven days-couldn't do
q ~ the tremepdous rate we work.
Int don't knpw any labor union
which has anything to offer US. Most
At ms have been members Of unions"
His principle on staying out. he
alone"
1t would be robbery to take our
money away and give it to the unions
- idues." he remarked. Of the check
o9i system. "A union man is in dan
ser Of being called out whenever any
9gitator gets inf1amed with bolshe-
Calls Gompers Conservative.
Davies conceded, ''Mr. Gompers is a
70 hold back radicals and failed
Joseph Smith. another roller. from
Homestead. Pa. was called.
Smith said he made s22 to $24 a day.
Strikers there, he said, want eight
hours and $S a day"
There has been an active campaign
70 get union members he said. They
didn't let Americans in. told them to
set out Of the meetings and called
0em spies. He said he had worked
"Ot course, could stand the eight
hoor day." he said. but we get sew
arAl rest periods during the shift"
Members of the committee Joking
~ remarked on his healthy appear
Sence and Smith told them he was
dftS-eight years old.
Had Been Union Member.
Like Davies. Smith said he had been
. union member. but did not intend
70 amliate again.
There's no need for it." he said
Tn speaking facts and truth when
] say there is never any trouble about
getting complaints up to the SUPER
tutendent and getting reasona Bile
redress Working conditions have
improved wonderfully during the last
seven years. We have the best
things"
1oster's Views Changed, He Saws.
William 2. Foster. secretary of the
strike committee. told the Senate COM
mittee yesterday afternoon that his
views had changed. when he was con-
fronted with writings of his advocat-
ing revolutionary socialism. He de-
eltnsd to say, however, how much his
views have changed unless the COM
mittee should send from the room the
newspaper correspondents The COM
mittee made no such move
Extracts from books Foster had
written advocating sabotage and revo-
1utionary socialism were read to the
witness and he was asked by MEM
6ers of the committee to say whether
h0 still believed such doctrines ua