New-York tribune., 1919-09-19
fact that there is to be strike than
concerned by the possibility Of defeat.
Twelve demands are made by the

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concerned by the possibility Of defeat,
Twelve demands are made by the
strikers. They are:
The right of collective bargaining.
! Reinstatement Of men discharged for
! union activities.
An eight-hour day.
One days rest in seven.
Abolition of the 2d-hour shift.
Increase in wages sufficient to guar
antcc tho American standard of living.
Standard scales Of wages in all trades
and classifcations Of workers.
Double rate Of pay for all overtime,
holiday and Sunday work.
Check-off system of collecting union
dues and assessments.
Principles of seniority to apply in
maintenance. reduction and increase of
working forces.
Abolition of company unions
Abolition of physical examination
of applicants for employment
A strike circular already sent to
mills throughout the country reads:
THE workers in the iron and steel
mills and blast furnaces, not working
under union agreements, are requested
not to go to work on September 20
ard to refuse to resume their en-
ployment until such time as the de-
mands OF the organizations have been
conceded by the steel corporations.
Unions Reply to Gary
The statement issued by the ma
tional committee in reply to Judge
Gary follows:
"ln his letter Of September 16 to the
pres dents of the subsidiary companies
of the United States Steel Corporation
reasons in mind when he refused to
-aeet with the American Federation OF
Labor committee, which called upon
nm recently requesting q conference
tor the purpose Of presenting Criev~
"nces OF his employees.
'first, he did not believe the COM
mittee was authorized to speak for
large numbers &C the employees.
Second. q conference with The con-
:Hittoe would have been treated by
them as a recognition of tao closed
shcr' method of employment.
III these are the real reasons actu-
.tine Judge Gary, surely they are not
sufficient to plunge the industry into a
great labor conflict Judge Gary pre-
sents false premise and then declares
that he will stand or fall upon this
false ground.
"Ihe committee that waited upon
Judge Gary we're the selected repre-
scntatives of the employees. And they
requested conference for the pur-
pose Of establishing the principle Of
collective bargaining ard some prac-
teal method of rodressing grievances
"Judg Gary denied their authority to
represent the employees and refused to
meet them in conference. The only
way left for the employees to convince
Judge Gary that the committee does
represent the great body of the en-
ploycs Of the United States Steel Cor
poratou is to cease work until the
corporation agrees to meet their rep
reseNtativos in conference. This the
emnloyos have decided to do on Mon
day morning, September 81
"lt is unfortunate that the employees
are compelled to resort to strike in
order to prove the authority Of their
selected representatives to present
grievances. But as there is no other
way. the proof. in the form OF q strike.
viii e!Fcctually remove all doubt in
Judge Garys mind.
Closed Shop Bugaboo
"In The second place Judge Gary
sets up tho question Of the closed shop.
which has absolutely 70 basis what
soever III the present controversy. II
IS simply dragged in here by Judge
cary as a bugaboo to boc.oud the rea.
Issue
There is one and only one question
at issue and that IS the question Of a
conference. The employees have ex-
haustod every avenue OF approach to
the corporation for the purpose OF Sc
curing conference, ana every avenue
has been closed 10 them. Their last
snd only hope IS to strike. and now tho
employees declare that they will cease
work on next Monday morning until
such time as the corporation Will meet
their representatives in conference for
the purpose OF establishing humane
and reasonable methods Of dealing with
the very vital problems which affect
.heir lives, their homes and their
future"
The statement Is signed by John
Fitzpatrick. D. J. Davis. William Ham
mon and ". Z. Foster,