The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-09-22

widely distributed among the employees
of the United States Steel Corporation.
While President Gompers is doing every
thing within his power TO avert strike.
ct least under the conference is held in
Washington. Mr.. Fitzpatrick is opposed
TO any labor truce" Whether his in
terest in the formation of a labor party
is influencing him in his opposition Of
Mr.. Gompers and President Wilson,
do not know, but the fact remains that
he controls the iron and steel workers
and from all the information I have /
am convinced that he is working against
the wishes of the president Of the A. Il.
OF l. Fitzpatrick wants a strike now.
Gompers does not want 1t. Fitzpatrick
represents the radical labor union men.
who do not want TO permit President
Wilson or anyone else at the Washington
conference 70 try and bring about an
understanding between capital and labor.
Gompers supports the presidents pro
gram.
JUST AS LEAVE FIGHT NOW.
Turning to the employers side. I find
the situation is even more complicated.
Judge Gary as spokesman of these men.
who are confronted within their own
organizations with the opposition of
radical labor union leaders. is compelled
TO decide upon a course of action which.
in his opinion will defeat the attempts
Of the radical elements TO tie up the
industry. Whatever may be Judge
Gary's attitude toward the Washington
conference he is compelled to deal with
radical leaders of labor. not with the
conservative ones. Inasmuch as he has
refused to confer with Fitzpatrick 1t
ha faI~~ 81, Hn IL,
II to be TO the best interests of his or
ganization TO face strike now: that
now is just as good a time as any 10
have ii out" with the radicals
Besides those who support Judge Gary
there are many manufacturers and bust
ness men who are very apprehensive
lest this steel strike should develop into
a nationwide general strike. and they
deem II TO their best interests to urge
him TO take some steps TO avert a strike
until after the conference cheduled for
Oct. s. On the other hand. the conserv-
ative business leaders. who side with the
chairman of the United States Steel Cor
poration. are of the opinion that the
steel strike Will not last long if the con-
sentative leaders Of organized labor re-
fuse to permit the strike to spread 70
other industries. They are temporarily
counting upon Mr.. Gompers 10 confine
the strike to the steel trades. and If
he can. and does, the steel strike may
be Of short duration.
1t is argued that il is as much in the
interest of conservative leaders OF labor
unions to see the radicals defeated I'm
this strike II is in the interests of
big business to break" the radical
group. Thus the question arises, which
no one can answer. What will be the
effect of the strike. If it is carried out
upon the leadership of the American !
Federation of Labor"
The public can only watch and wait
In addition to these complications
there is the national distrust of Pres-
dent Wilson's policies which enter into
the situation. Business men generally !
feel that the president has sided too
often and too earnestly with labor; that
his whole administration has been pro- /
labor. especially pro-labor union. They
have never forgiven nor have they for /
gotten the administration policy toward /,
railway employees. But If it were not
for another factor. which has developed I
within the last week. they might in Z
view of the general labor unrest. yield !
to the presidents advice and avert a
strike. if they could without yielding to I
Fitzpatrick. and await the outcome of
the washington conference.
But about one week ago. news was
circulated among the big business lead