New-York tribune., 1919-09-29
Pittsburgh Strike Zone
Ruled BY Sunday Calm
Steel Workers Hold Meetings, but Order Is
Maintained; Leader Fitzpatrick Circulates Letter
From Judge Calling Foster 'sModeratc''
BY Theodore M. Knappen

of the Bethlehem Company mills to-
morrow and Of the Jones and Laugh
lin mills here. Chairman Fitzpatrick
left tho city last night to hasten the
proposed conference with the "Big
Four" railway brotherhoods. R. w.
Labin. the strikers counsel, was busy
to-day arranging to retain an attor-
ney to look after the interests of the
men at every plant and collect data
to lay before the Senate Committee on
Education and Labor when it comes
! here.
Before leaving, Fitzpatrick gave out
a "character" letter regarding Secre-
tary Foster, written to him by Judge
SamueI"Altschuler, Of the United States
Circuit Court Of Appeals. Chicago.
The letter. dated March 2 BLAST, is as
follows:
81 have your favor of yesterday,
stating that w. z. Foster in engaged
in organization work in the East for
the American Federation of Labor, and
that it is charged he is AN irresponsi-
Bile, unreasonable and destructive agi-
tator' and asking me to express such
impression of him as came to me
through coming into contact with him
in various proceedings before me in
my capacity Of United States admnis-
/ TRAITOR. appointed by the government
for the period of the war to arbitrate
labor differences in certain of the pack
ing houses.
SIN reply will say that yours is not
the first communication of this nature
concerning Mr.. Foster which has come
to me, and can answer you only to
/ the same effect as | have others.
"My acquaintance with Mr.. Foster
began in February, 1918, with the hear
ing OF the first arbitration, in which
he seemed to act as an adviser to the
representatives, Of tie employees and
was apparently relied on for the pro
duction of documents, figures and
references rs they were wanted in the
hearing. After that award was made
many questions arose both as to in
/ depreciation and compliance which
necessitated many hearings Of gricv-
ances, wherein Mr. Foster often repre-
sentcd the employees, until the middle
or latter part of the summer. when !
was informed he left for the East, and
since which time I have not met lin.
I'm his representation OF the cm-
/ ployes in the various controve rsies be-
fore me in which he participated he
impressed me as being particularly
intelligent, honorable, moderate, tactful
and fair. His manner of presentation
and his occasional apt literary refer
ence led me to inquire of others as to
early advantages, and I learned with
some wonder that they were absolutely
nil, and on the contrary all the very
reverse of advantages If in his earlier
wanderngs he imbbcd for a time
fantastic, extreme and destructive
social ideas,T am sure there was moth
ing developed in the many conferences
and hearings in which he participated
which would indicate that he still har-
/ bored them"
Mill Owners Optimistic
At the end of Sundays rest which
gave the strike leaders an opportunity
to try to get a fresh grip on their fol
lowers, the steel company officials were
gratihed to receive reports from most
mill centres that more men were
reporting than usual and that else
where the attendance was up TO cx-
pectations. One of the agreeable
surprises they said, was at Farrell,
where there had been much disorder
in the last week, which reported five
furnaces open in the Carnegie plant
I there.
The Jones and Laughlin plant, which
is to be the object of a special assault
by the strikers tomorrow, found no
diminution in the number Of workers
reporting tonight. The Homestead
and Edgar Thompson plants We're re-
ported as making distinct advances to-
day
Nevertheless the outcome tomorrow
is awaited with some apprehension.
Knowing that the companies intend to
make it a test day wherever they feel
that the tide is setting in their favor,
the strike leaders worked overtime to
day to keep their followers in line.
The Carnegie Steel Compuny ap~
praised the situation tonight as fol-
lows:
we did not lose an inch of ground
with all the usual over-Sunday shut.
down. and Nil along the line we are
working tonight with increased forces
and more mills We're put on by reason
of the return of more men to work.
I'VE might say that the situation
meets with our every expectation The
intimidation that we know kept many
from work is passing, and the men are
gaining confidence with every hour.
We look for q repetition of these gains
tomorrow, when we expect TO be able
10 make what TO US at least will be
good report made better by relieved
conditions"