Republican farmer., 1919-09-26
Industry Gravely Grip pied in Such Big Gen. ters As Pittsburgh and Chicago - Bethlehem Workers Ready To Quit LabOrs.

The second day of the great struggle between the labor unions and the U. $. Steel Cor poration opened with the question as to the extent to which the industry has been af- fscted by the strike still uncer- tain, confused as it is by the conflicting claims of the lead CTS on either side. That the industry has been gravely crippled in the great centers of Pittsburgh, Chicago and Youngstown was certain and early reports today recorded several gains for the strikers.
 In tbe Pittsburgh district several of tho Carnegie Steel Co.'S plants were closed and the Er.lddock and Rankin plants of the American Steel & Wire Co.,. both of which attempted to con tiuue operations yesterday. shut down today. These two concerns employ approximately 10000 men.
 In the Chicago district similar con diuons prevailed. Nearly all the plants in that region, including Gary and Hammond, either were closed to- day or operating at greatly reduced capacity The strike leaders ssImat- ed that 70 per cent. of the 9O,0oO workers were out and that in Gary the percentage was %. Steel company officials refused to coucede a higher percentage than 20.
 In tho Mahonins Valley district, of which YounEstOwu is the heart, all re- ports agreed that the strikers had achieved their most marked success. The strike leaders claimed that 5000 men had quit work and their state ments we're supported by the fact that many large plants were closed. three in particular which employ alone 16,- 900 men. Plants which were still op- erated had admittedly greatly reduced forces.
 The possibility of the spread of the strike to, as yet, unaffected plants, was more threatening today. At the Bethlehem works, of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, where 35, 1000 men are employed, the union leaders an nounced that no reply had been re- ceived to their request for a confer ence with the company officials and that preparations were being com pleted for calling out the workers.
 At Cincinnati the executive board of the International Iron Moulders' union Is in session. and will decide what action will be taken by that body.
 At Buffalo switchmen on the South Buffalo railway quit work when or dered to move cars into the Lacka- wanna steel plant.
 Chicago, Sept. 28.---Da.wn of the second day of the nationwide strike in the steel industry found nearly all the plants in the Chicago district either closed down or working with a greatly reduced force. Labor union officials predicted that every plant in the district would be closed within a few days.
 Labor leaders asserted today that more than 75 per cent. of the workers in the district have left their work, while company officials said the num- Der who failed to report at the mills was not more than 20 per cent of the town of nearly 90,O0O men employed in the district.
 In this district the strike hssde- veloped no violence. At Gary. In- diana, guards escorted from the works men who had continued their employ ment and pickets of strikers about the gates did not menace them. Some damage was reported as the result of the failure of the men to draw steel from the furnaces.