The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-10-26
Report Will Be Made to Senate
Next Week it Is Expected En-
bodying Much Data on Both
Sides.
GARY STRIKE is A. F. OF
/. MOVE, LEADERS SAY
Witnesses Before Senate Com
mittee Say Reports of "Red
Activities at Gary Have Been
Exaggerated to Hurt Workers

washington. Oct. 25-0The senate
labor committee today completed in
vestigation of the steel strike with
examination of witnesses from Gary
Pittsburg and Allentown plants of the
Bethlehem Steel Corporation. AND
expect to make report to the senate
next week.
w. A. Rattenbury, a Gary striker,
was the first witness today he
classed all charges of red activity IN
connection with the strike as ghost
conjured up to injure strikers he
said the American Federation or La
Dor is conducting the strike Tor an
eight-hour day and for representation
before company officials in discussing
shop grievances.
Sheriff Haddock, of Allegheny coun-
ty in which Pittsburg is located, de-
MED charges of brutality TO strikers
made against his deputies ana the
state constabulary. He placed the
total of strikers in Pennsylvania at
five thousand which is much less than
other estimates given the committee
TT is true fifty per cent OF the men
who walked out at Bethlehem plants
are going back, starved back. David
w
lists union, told the COMMITTEES. But
that's what is making Bolshevists. The
Industrial autocracy which forces them
to submit to conditions they bitterly
resent"
Renorts of 'sred" activities in the
steel strike have been exaggerated, the
senate committee investigating the
strike was told today by w. a. Ratten-
burg.
"All of this weight has been put on
talk about radicals to hurt u.s." he said
Its a ghost conjured up since the
strike began This is an American
Federation of Labor strike.
Strikers wanted an eight-hour day,
and collective bargaining" Ratten-
burg said, adding that wages were not
particularly the issue. His own pay
averaged s12 a day for twelve hours
I'VE can't protect ourselves unless
we have organization" he explained.
The wages are now paid on a basic
hour rate. If the hours were reduced,
the pay would come down. we Wanleo
to negotiate that question
DENYING all knowledge of anarch-
istic or /. w. w. associations In Gary
Rattenburg said all he knew OF IL was
from newspaper reports, which ne ala
not believe. He said.
1--WE are willing to go to any limit
to maintain the right organized iaoor
has enjoyed for twenty years, said
one federation official.
William H Johnston, president OF
the International Association or Ma
chinists the second largest interna-
tfonal affiliated with the union, SAID
he would offer a vote of the $4,000
members of his association. He and
other officials said there wasn't a
doubt that similar action would bel
taken by all of the 112 affiliated
unions.
Mr.. Johnston said there was an in
creasing tendency on the part of some
employers-t bind their workers with
individual contracts so as to shut out
trade unions. This was particularly
true. he said, in the metal trades, and
..direct action" might be resorted to II
ALI other means of advancing the IN
tarests of the unions failed.
If was made known that the pro-
nosed antt-strike legislation would be
one of the subjects to be discusseo
at the forthcoming conference here OF
union labor chiefs.
In line with the call from President
Gompers for financial support or tnej
steel strike Mr.. Johnston announced
that an assessment of s1.00 week
on the entire membership of the ma
chinists' association as a defense
fund" would be proposed next month.