New-York tribune., 1919-09-22
Meetings Are Broken Up
at Mckeesport, North
Clarion and Classport;
5000 Quit in Ohio
Sheriff FOrbids
Public Gatherings
Labor Leader Threatens
Retaliation for Action
of Authorities; Known
to Favor Use of Force
Staff Correspondence

PITTSBURGH, Penn, Sept. 21.-Pre-
liminary to the steel strike staged for
midnight the grave-faced troopers Of
the Pennsylvania nstabulary rode
their black horses through dense crowds
of potential strikers at Clarion, Glass
port and McKeesport this afternoon en-
gagged in holding forbidden meetings,
jostling, trampling and clubbing a few
recalcitrants. Sixteen men were arrest
ed at Clarion, and the union organizers
insist that several were seriously in
jured.
Nobody was hurt or arrested at Nc
keesport, where the crowd was much
larger than at Clarion. The thousands
who had gathered on Fifth Avenue and
the hillsides were driven UP and down
the streets and across vacant lots until
they gave up and retreated to their
homes.
Protest Sent to Governor
The national committee organizing
the iron and steel workers sent a tele-
gram to Governor Sproul tonight pro-
testing against the action of the state
police in clubbing and riding down
helpless and innocent bystanders in
most murderous fashion"
Bricks and stones were thrown at the
troopers at Clarion and about twenty
shots were fired from the crowd, but
the troopers did not use their guns
Late reports Indicate that no one was
seriously injured.
Squads of the state troopers are sta
toned tonight at every populous mill
town in the Pittsburgh district
Estimates to-day put the total
amount of riot insurance taken out in
Pittsburgh and vicinity at more than
100000. 600
The first move of the strikers as
midnight approached was to place
pickets at the gates Of all mills with
little tickets to be handed to all work
cts bear advice to strike and don't be
a scab."
The chief executives of all the big
plants were planning to stay in their
Offices throughout the night or to be
in direct communication with their
subordinates on duty at the Offices and
the mills.
Report a. m, Quit at 7
At Homestead the strikers will re-
port for work at 6 o'clock in the
morning and walk out at Z, in order
to make an impression on the other
men, and like policy may be followed
elsewhere.
At some mills, it was said, part of
came from Ohio, saying that 5000
men had struck during the day at
Youngstown.
The concluding paragraph Of the
strike call of the national committee
for organizing iron and steel workers
reads:
"lron and steel workers: An historic
decision confronts US. L. we will but
stand together now like men our de-
golden era of prosperity will open for
as III the steel industry. But if we
falter and fail to act this great effort
will be lost, and we will sink back into
a miserable and hopeless serfdom. The
welfare of our wives and children is
at stake. Now is the time to insist
upon our rights as human beings.
Stop work September o."
Employees or the Independent steel
plants are said TO be getting uneasy.
AT Betheiehem the men have called for
such a conference as was demanded of
the United States Steel Corporation,
with strike as the alternative.
both sides are anxlously awaiting
Tomorrow. The managers Of the mills
admit they do not know what thew are
to confront, but all of the important
ones say the struggle will be one to
the finish, and that it will not end un
til bitter and complete defeat has over
taken the "endeavor to disrupt the
steel industry from without"
Priest Denounces Strikers
The Rev. Father Molyneux. of Sc.
brendan's Church, Braddock, work.
ingman's parish, is represented as re-
Aecting the general attitude of the
English speaking workers in h. morn
iing's address to his people. He urged
his hearers to fight for their Jobs IL
need be, answer violence with Violence
and send to the River Styx" all who
oppose them in the exercise of their
rights to earn their living as thev
pleased: He denounced the strike or
ganizatlon as superfiuous, foreign and
un-American.
Reports to-day emphasized racia,
cleavage among the workers. Amer;-
cans, Poles and Italians and some oth-
ers, against the Balkans and the Rus.
slams.
The gathering at McKeesport w..
planned despite oroclamations Of Shar.
III William s. Haddock, of Alleehsnv
County, posted on the walls ana tells.
graph poles. forbidding public meet