New-York tribune., 1919-09-21
Bolshevist Element, i'm
Case of Uprising, Will
Face T heir Fellow
Workmen i'm Arms
5000 Citizens Join
M ckeesport Police
Issue Raised of Americana
ism vs.. Alienism; Ex-
Soldiers in Angry Mood
BY Theodore NJ. Knappen
,Spoclni Cnrresnnndc

Special Correspondence
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 20.-Droppins
all prctence of passivity or lndiffer-
ence to the looming menace of the
strike, the steel companies and the pub
lie authorities to-day disclosed elabo-
rate preparations for the industrial
disturbance that is to begin at mid
night Sunday. Their preparations look
to the enforcement of law and the
maintenance of order to such degree
that if the strikers resort to violence
1t will be repressed with vigor and
promptness unusual in America in the
early stages of most industrial convul-
sions.
Taking advantage of the fact that
q vast majority of the intending strik-
ers are foreign born and many alien,
the authorities and the steel company
officials are shaping the issue as one
between Americans and foreigners,
between American institutions and
the destructive doctrines that arc be
ing spread in America chiefly by tbs
foreigner; between loyalty and dis
loyalty
Throughout the steel industry Amer
leans and foreigners are about equally
employed, and of the foreigners about
so per cent are Slavs from southeast
crn Europe This % per cent of the
whole constitutes the backbone of the
workers organization, according to the
employers.
Ready to Snuff Out Revolt
If this be the hoped-for beginning
of the Red revolution. they plan to
strangle the evil thing here and now.
Every effort viii be made to maintain
peace and order and no man Will be
disturbed IN his right to strike. but
the challenge of lawless force. they
say, will be mct with the stcrnest
measures.
The leaders of the strike. on their
part, insist that they purpose 10 win
1t by the sheer force of the relentless
pressure of the withdrawal Of the men
from the plants and that no sort of
violence will be countenanccd
mphasizng the view that the con
test, whether violent or orderly. is
largely one between Amcricanism and
alIenlsm and between layalty and dis
loyalty the United States Steel Cor
poration began day TO swear in As
deputy sheriifs the men who want to
stay on the job This is said to be a
radlcal innovation i'll labor troubles.
Hitherto the proprietors Of plants that
seemed to be endangered have resorted
to outside agancies hired guards or
deputy sheriffs miscelancously sworn
IN by the public authorities
10000 Employees as Deputies
This time the deputy sherifs to
guard plants are TO be made up Of the
men who work in them. Before noon
to-day 1000 loyal employees had taken
the oath at the Edgar Thompson plant
and another 1.000 at Clarion. Other
plants and other companies are fol
=, lowing suit, and it is estimated that
when the dawn on Monday morning
breaks there will be at least 10000 en-
pJoyes acting as deputy sherihs here
abouts. Whoever interferes with such
an employe going about his business
will be interfering with an officer of
the law. Proceeding with their GUS
tomary duties within the plants where
ever possible, they will be advantage
ously situated to resist efforts at sa-
botage or destruction of any kind.
/ the steel defence are:
The Coal and Iron Police
The Municipal Police.
The States Mounted Constabuarv.
Citizens Sworn in AS Police
The Coal and Iron Police are thr
uniformed guards under authority o.
state law, necessarily maintained at
all times IN the great steel plants
winch are miniature cities in them
selves. These men are picked. vigor-
Gus and we'll trained and number many
/ hundreds in this district.
The municipal police in the smaller
cities of the district do not amount To
much, 1t Is SAID, for an emergency Of
the KIND that now confronts the dis
trlct. 10 strengthen them thousands
of special policemen are being sworn
1000 citizens being enrolled as such
at Mckeesport alone, with full equip
ment provided and precise Instructions
as to mobilization and action if needed
In Pittsburgh 100 special policemen
took the oath to-day, almost all of them
being ex-soldiers recently returned
from France and many Of them still
lf uniform. The regular force here Is
affiliated with the American Federation
OF Labor, but no question has been
raised as to the fidelity of the men TO
their oaths
EN-SOldiers in Angry Mood
The eN- soldiers are said to be full os
inc american war spirit and bitter At
the thought that aliens who STAYED ~
home during the war and waved
wealthy at wartime wages. should nov.
w io.Aine ehe boat when the slad da.
soldier Is looking for "A Job
craving III from their usual patrols