The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-25

PLAN TO VISIT
STEEL PLANTS
TO Follow Washington
Hearing With Personal
Inquiry Into Facts.
BOTH SIDES SEEK FAVOR
Bitter Battle for Public APP
proval Will Be Staged in the
Capitol Committee Room.
Special Despatch TO THE suN.


WARRINGTON. Sept. 24.--Determined
to force speedy conclusion of the in
dustrial struggle between the United
States Steel Corporation and.organized
labor, the Senate Labor Committee to-
morrow will begin its investigation into
the steel strike. The first step of the
committee, according to Senator Ken
yon Qowa), will be to hear the lead
ers for both the corporation and the
strikers. After hearing witnesses of
both sides here, should the strike con-
tinue, the committee is contemplating
going into the centres of the steel
strike and investigating the alleged
grievances of the men and the general
working conditions.
Both sides will be asked to place
what they believe are the causes Of
the strike on the table before the COM
mittee. and efforts will be made to
bring the parties to the strike to an
understanding in the public interest.
Hearings will be expedited as much as
possible, Mr.. Kenyon said. No direct
Congressional action is contemplated
by the committee until the whole case
has been placed before It.
Public Approval Sought.
With the opening Of the inquiry the
Industrial struggle is expected to de-
velop into a campaign by leaders of
both the corporation and labor for pub
lie approval. realizing that this will be
the determining factor in the long run.
For that reason at least the centre of
the strike is expected to shift to
Washington.
One of the points of the strike that
is certain to receive close scrutiny from
the committee is the extent which radi-
cal agitation has played in stirring up
the strike. Several members OF Con-
gress have indicated that they believe
the strike is a yelled attempt to start
soviet movement In the United States
So far the strikers have had no public
defenders on the floor of either house
OF Congress.
Likewise considerable interest at
taches to the part foreign born labor Is
playing in the strike.
John ], Fitzpatrick, organizer OF the
steel strike, has informed Senator Ken
yon. in response to a summons, that he
will be ready to testify before the COM
mittee tomorrow.
Labor willing to Appear.
Indicating that the labor leaders plan
campaign for public approval as their
y atrin
the following telegram to Senator Ken
yon:
We will cheerfully and voluntarily
be present before your committee
next Thursday. as requested, and pre-
sent labor's side of the controversy
in the steel industry of the country.
Following Mr.. Fitzpatrick the commit
tee will hear William a. Foster, secre-
tary-treasurer OF the strike organization,
and regarded as the soul of the ultra
radlcalism OF the strike movement. Hav-
ing been under fire in both Houses OF
Congress because of his radical writings
on syndlcalism, Mr.. Foster will be care
fully questioned concerning the doctrines
he has advocated.
Judge e. IL. Gary probably viii be
the first witness for the steel corpora
ton, and in accordance with his wishes
he will be heard next week.
BIames Congress for Unrest.
Declaring that Congress itself is re-
sponsible for the present dangerous la
bor unrest In the country. Senator
Thomas (Col.) to-day delivered a speech
denouncing the various measures
through which the Federal laws have ex-
empted labor from the operations of
legislation applying to other classes of
people. He named the Clayton act as an
especially offensive example of this type
of legislation, whereby organized labor
| and organizations of farmers are ex-
| empted from the antitrust laws; and
he referred especially to the veto by
President Taft OF a measure designed to
prevent prosecution of such organiza-
| tions for acts which. II committed by
others. would have been subject to pros
ecution.
"If he had never done any other pub
lio service except writing that Veto" de-
| clared Mr.. Thomas, ''he would have de-
| served we'll OF his country. But the Con-
gress passed the measure over his veto
and has included II in certain appropria-
| ton measures ever since.
The present state of labor and indus
| trial unrest is as serious IN its implioa-
tions as the issues surrounding the
peace treaty. There was recently pub
lished a list Of 211 strikes in the coun-
| try, and of sixty-three others organizing
and soon 10 be called. That is a fair
picture of our economic and Industrial
position.
A National Concern.
"The steel strike is reported to in
volve 500, 900 workers, of whom half are
actually idle. II is an Industry ex.
| tending entirely across the nation, into
half the States-truly a national con-
| cern.
mo great strike can avoid lawless-
ness and violence. so the spectacle Il
Continued on Third Pa0e.