New-York tribune., 1919-09-26
Takes Position Against
Compromise, Pointing
to Revolutionary Feat
ures of the Strike
Union Leader Is
Senate Witness
Tells Members Men Will
Go Back if Wilson
Will Name Arbiters

Ebert r. Gary, chairman OF the
board OF directors of the United States
Steel Corpo ration, indicated last night
that the employers in the strike would
turn down John Eitzpatrick's tentative
offer of compromise and arbitration,
made before the Senate investigating
committee yesterday. because Of
moral principles" involved.
He asserted that certain questions
at stake. could not be arbitratcd
or compromised, and charged that the
strike was being led by an avowcd
rcvolutionist. If it were won by the
employees. he said, disaster might
threaten The entire nation. MR. Gary
last night abandoned his customary
attitude of optimism and asserted that
the nation was passing throught most
critical and dangerous era,
Mr.. Gary was at the dinner given in
honor of Baron Koado at the Ritz Carl
ton last night when reporters sent him
the following written question:
An Associated Press bulletin says
that John Fitzpatrick, leader of the
strikers, has informed The Senate Com
mittec that twenty-four unions are
willing to submit al! issues in the
strike to arbitration. the arbitrators
to be selected by, President Wilson.
Fitzpatrick says that this would end
the walk-out
Moral Principle Involved
To this Mn Gary wrote the follow
ing reply:
"The board of directors OF the United
States Steel Corporation are the rep
rcsertatives of nearly 10000 stock
holders. including from 10000 to 10000
employees. We are their servants and
are selected to represent and protect
their interests, and also the interests
of all our 100000 employees. the maj jor-
ity of whom, think, are not members
Of labor unions.
Moreover, believe that our corpo-
ration is under a great obligation to
tho general public concerning the
issues involved in the pending strike.
in these circumstances | would not
at present assume to answer the ducs~
F, tion propounded to me.
"However. | will say for myself that
questions OF moral princplc cannot be
arbitrated or comprom ised, and in my
opinion SUCH questions are included in
! the present unfortunate struggle.
II also think we cannot negotiate or
confer with Mr.. Fitzpatrick and his
associates as union labor leaders con
cerning our employees, whom these
gentlemen have volunteered to repre-
sent"
Guests Cheer Judge Gary
The guests attending the dinner
stood up. waved their napkins and
cheered when Lewis L. Clarke, toast
master, introduced Mr.. Gary later in
the evening. The steel man began his
address by saying:
"My mind is somewhat perturbed
this evening by an incident that oc-
CURED during the dinner hour The
representatives Of the great New York
papers sent me a question. will
read it,"
He then read the message quoted
above and remarked when he had COM
pleted it:
"To have refused making an answer
imm ediately might have been misin-
terpreted, so | decided to make an i'm
mediate answer. said -"
He then read his reply to the news
paper men, quoted above. When he
came to the paragraph dealing with
the issues at stake, the diners rose
again and cheered him.
Sees Danger of Upheaval
You, as part Of the general public
must condemn or approve what | felt
called upon to say. Mr. Gary said
when he had finished reading.
There were shouts of 1--WE approved"
and Good for you'll" which he ac-
&nowledged by bowling, and continued:
II can only say that YOU know the
issues involved know full we'll that if
! the strike succeeded it might and prob
ably would be the beginning of an up
heaval which might bring on all of us
grave and serious consequences, and
| you know the questions involved in
this strike, led by Foster, the acknowl-
edged revolutionist, are higher than
the interests of the United States Steel
CORPORATION.
1--WE do not know what is in front
OF US. am not an alarmist. I am
an optimist Certainly I have the good
sense to speak optimistically on a pes
simistic subject, but want to say that
this is very serious period in our
history.
Ii Danger, Must Meet 1t
Il hope it is not critical period.
| hope these statements with refer
ence to the distribution Of propaganda
and the conversion Of a large majority
of the people of this country to the
doctrines of anarchy and Bolshevism
have been greatly exaggerated, but
there is such propaganda and that
there are men spreading I. W. W. and
other doctrines with funds direct from
Russia, we do know.
"Whether there is danger from this
propaganda; whether it is possible TO
Continued on page three