The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-09-24
STRIKE SPREADING, CLAIM OF LEADERS: SITUATION BETTER,
 SAY STEEL PLANTS
Steel Workers Secretary Declares 327,100 Men Par ticipating in Strike-Re-
 ports 4000 Out in Bir-
 mingham District
By Associated Press

PlttSburg, september 2o.- Conflicting claims as much at variance as those given out the opening day of the big steel strike, continue to be made by the contending forces in the widespread industrial contest now being waged.
 The leaders of the organized workers boldly claimed today that the strike is spreading and that thousands of men who worked yesterday joined the walk out today. Predictions were made that plants still in operation would be closed tomorrow or Thursday, and that no gains were made anywhere either by tho United States Steel corporation, the principal factor in the struggle, or by independent concerns.
 Representatives of the Carnegie Steel company, the largest subsidiary in the corporation, admitting that some of it's plants were closed because of the strike claimed that the situation was better , ized summary of conditions within tho Pittsburg district, more men were at work at Homestead, Clairton. Duquesne and other places. All told, tho situa- ton Is better than it was yesterday. The situation in the Monongahela valley, considerably improved and is encourag- ing was the statement Of an official of the Carnegie company.
 CLAIMS OF FOSTER
 William 2. Foster, secretary of tho national committee for organizing iron headquarters here, said that reports re- oeived bS him during the day showed that s27, loo men were participating in the strike. According to his figures. 5000 ad- dtional men were out in the city of | Pittsburg. 5000 more at Braddock, and | 5000 additional in Rankin, near here. ] He claimed 20,000 additional men were out in the Chicago territory and 5000 more ! in the Youngstown district, and 3O0O more | in the Wheeling field. He said 400O were out in the Birmingham region.
 l While not giving any figures. corpor- ation representatives tonight disputed
 
 many of the districts included in Eos ters list would be completely shut down. which is not the case.
 | The United States Steel corporatio according to reports has not met with as much success in operating some of it's subsidiaries in other parts of Pennsyl- vania as it has the plants of the Car negie company in this immediate vicin- llty. In several localities it's smaller works were closed down when it was | found insufficient men had reported to keep the plants in successful operation. | Representatives of the Carnegie inter- ] ests have declared that this was due to lack of adequate police protection for men willing to work.
 DAY PASSES QUIETLY | In the immediate Pittsburg district the l second day of the wai1-sout passed quiet l ly, but police authorities were apprehen- sive that when the late night shifts are made there might be more trouble, as there was last night in several places. | Numerous arrests in many localities were made, but there ~ere no serious out breaks reported during the day.
 Following last nights riot at Farrell. 1 Pa. where one man was killed, there was another disturbance today. during which two men were shot and slightly wound ed, and in fresh rioting tonight one man { was reported killed and several wounded. l At Newcastle, Pa, where seven were wounded last night, the situation was in complete control of the authorities. many arrests were made there for minor infractions of the law.
 l Two more troops oI the state police were brought to the western part of the state today and dis ributed at points where local authorities claim conditions are unsafe. Secretary Foster of the steel l workers committee charges that much of the disorder is the result of the pres 1 ence of state troopers Today he de- l nounced their alleged action in ridins | into crowds and injuring innocent per | sons He asserted that in Homestead | certain sections of the borough were to- day kept in tumult as the result of the ! Nay the state police rode into groups of idle men and dispersed them
 The national committee for organizing iron and steel workers will meet here to- morrow for the purpose Of discussing strike progress and making arrange ments for prolonging the struggle.
 "We are going to prepare to fight te the bitter end,' he added. If it is t3 0e a long struggle we will be ready. It is a fight for industrial democracy Gnd the workers are determined to stick"
 When asked if Samt q Gompers, presi- dent of the American Federation o' Labor. would attend the conference. NIT Foster said No" He explained tha' John Fitzpatrick, chairman of the com mittee, who would attend, was the per sonal representative of Mir. Gompers.