The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-09-25
Fitzpatrick Takes
 Stand in Senate to
 Defend Steel Strike
(Contlnued fron Paee 0ne.l ]


 Fitzpatrick opened his statement with what he said was a brief history of labor conditions in the steel in- dustry.
 With the creation of the steel cor poratiOn, a campaign was begun with the object of pushing organized workers out of the mills" he said. "A great sum of money, I don't know whether 1t was S2,OOO,0OO or S20,OOO,- coo was appropriated. In recent years labor has begun to realize the tremendous importance of the steel in dustry and its influence on other in dustries.
 While we were getting the eight hour day and better working condi- 1 lions, elsewhere, the steel mills still operated with very long hours and with wages below the proper line Labor understood then the necessity l of organizing the steel industry for | the purpose of controlling its effects 1 on the others. and at the last two | conventions of the Federation of La 1 bOr the step was authorized" Fitzpatrick said representatives of | 24 international unions, affiliated with l the American Federation of Labor i met in Chicago about a year ago and 1 effected a campaiEn committee to or l ganize the steel workers. | Samuel Gompers was elected chair man and William z. Foster secretary. | Men and money, the witness said, were assembled. but funds were so limited that the initial organization 1 efforts were confined to the Calumet district, including Chicago and Gary, Indiana
 The men in the steel rnills,'' F4tz- patrick continued, "were looking for relief. They had no hope. They re- i sponded in large numbers and it was only d short time until we had a very successful organization" | Up to that time there had been no unionism in the steel mills?" asked 1 Chairman Kenyon.
 i No" Fitzpatrick rer'fed. About i that time---October, 191S---the steel corporation was resorting to every l effort to force action on the part of the men or of the labor organization to spread their influence. They an nounced establishment of the eight hour day and we knew that was an i effort to prevent our organization.' Senator Jones, Democrat, New 1 Mexico, asked whether the employe! ! had made application to the Ameri | can Federation of Labor for Organi zatiOn, or whether movement had | been initiated by the American Fed | eration of Labor.
 ''The American Federation of La. Lor initiated the movement" Fitzpat rick replied.
 Was there no movement of tht men inviting the organization" asked 1 Senator Jones.
 ''No, only as the men met in diff ferent localities and expressed their l desires"
 'rwhy was it incumbent on the l American. Federation of Labor to or ganize the steel industry" Senator | Jones asked.
 'It was a bad spot in the indus trial situation" Fitzpatrick replied. | ''In the steel industry the hours are 1 long, the wages small ana the treat | n7ent-you can't describe the treat | ment"
 l These conditions, he added, led oth- CT large employers to consider i'm posing similar conditions on their l ey1DlOves. and so for the benefit of l organized workers everywhere in the country, organization of the steel in | dustry was deemed essential by the | leaders of the labor movement.
 How many men are employed in { steel millS2' asked senator Nelly Oli.
 I've figure about 5O0,OO0," Fftzpat- rick replied.
 i Continuing his statement, Fitzpat-
 rick said the steel corporation finally | gave assurances that it would estab- | fish the eighthour day, but the steel workers paid no attention. | Demands kept coming from Youngstown, Pittsburgh, that organ izers be sent to help them" he said.
 "The first opposition was met in McKeesport. We were told there we could have no meetings in rented halls or lots.
 we went to NIcKeesport and put the matter before the city authori- | ties. The mayor said we couldn't meet there and the city council said i the mayor had full authority
 This was in October, 1918, Fitzpat- rick said, and the issue was brought l to Washington.
 "President Gompers, of the Ameri- l can Federation of Labor wrote the mayor he continued, land the gov | ernor of Pennsylvania. There was no | answer"