The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-19
Will Close Plants If Operation
is Impossible.
UNIONS ARE FEVERISHLY BUSY
All Plans Laid for Nation Wide
WalkOut Monday.
Fitzpatrick Is Comforting With
GOmpers at Capital.

organization committee, went into
conference with Samuel Gompers,
head of the American Federation of
Labor, shortly after noon today. They
met at Gompers' office
Just before the conference Com
pers announce. he would have a state
ment to give out Monday the day the
strike of steel workers in to go into
effect.
changed" said Fitzpatrick, following
a two-hour conference with Gompers
In reply to questions, Fitzpatrick
denied the strike date had been
changed or that any decision had
been reached to postpone the walkout
which is scheduled for a. m. Mon
day.
Fitzpatrick refused to comment
upon report he had come here to
seek financial backing for the strike
from the American Federation of
Labor.
Strike leaders estimate the probable
cost of the strike to them at $2,00O,-
600 week, which would be supplied
by the twenty-four unions to be in
volved.
Fitzpatrick said he did not come
to Washington at the request of Com
pers.
81 am going to Chicago as soon as
| can get away from Washington, per-
haps today" he said.
Pittsburg. Sept. 19.-Headquarter
of the national committee for organ
izing iron and steel workers was a
busy place today, preparations going
forward rapidly for inauguration of
the strike of steel workers next Mon
day morning. Organizers and district
officers were given instructions and
sent out to the mill communities max
/ ing up the Pittsburgh district. The
headquarters here are in charge of
| William u. Foster, secretary-treasurer
| of the national committee. He had
/ no reports today, he said, except that
I the men in the Pittsburgh district
were ready to quit. Mr.. Foster said he
wanted to make it clear that the strike
/ is called against every iron and steel
mill and blast furnace in the United
| States not working under union agree
| ments.
John Fitzpatrick of Chicago. chair
man of the national committee, is in
Washington today making a report
to Samuel Gompers. 1t was learned
that one of the things to be discussed
there is a proposal to hold in Pitts
| burgh within the next two weeks a
| meeting of all the unions involved and
/ the executive council of the fedora
ton.
Independent Plant Closes.
Word came from McKeesport Pa.
today that the hot mills of the Port
! Vue plant of the McKeesport tinplate
/ company shut down last night throw
| ing about 1900 men out of work.
! This is an independent concern
The reason given by the company
I was congestion in the finishing de-
/ partment. Union organizers said they
were of the opinion the company was
| getting ready for the strike Monday.
| There is much speculation going on
! here as to the number of men who
will answer the strike call. Response
/ BILE union leaders said they could not
! give figures and there were none
forthcoming from corporation sources.
Reports that 200. 900 would quit in the
1 district between Youngstown, o., and
I Johnstown. Pa, could not be verified.
10000 Seek Membership?
Secretary Foster of the steel work
| ers' committee declared this afternoon
that response to the firm decision to
/ strike had been immediate among un-
| organized men in the mills Twenty
thousand applications for membership
, in the various unions which are to
strike have passed thru his office
! within the last twenty-four hours,
! Foster said. The office was crowded
thruout the day and Foster declared
that. in addition to men who were
signed up in this manner. hundreds
were handled by mail and by local
organizers
Optimism prevailed among corpor-
alton officials in this district. Out of
the 10000 men employed in the cor
poration's plants in the Monongahela
! valley only a neglible number will
heed the strike call. officials declare.
They admit. however, that in some
plants the number of union men
amounts to about so per cent. while
in the majority the number is only l
per cent
Shut Down IL Necessary.
Mill heads said no preparations to
employ strike breakers had been made
as they anticipated no serious conse-
quences from the strike. IF we are
unable to operate with the force which
does not walk out" declared one, 1--WE
will close our mills entirely"
Steel officials in the New Castle sec
ton report that a resolution pledging
the men to remain at work had been
signed by more than so per cent OF
the workmen in that district
Unionists declare 5000 men will
be affected in Wheeling. while en-
ployers assert the organized portion
numbers but little more than 10 per
cent of the workmen.
Officials in Sharon appear but little
concerned and express the opinion
that a walkout of organized men will
not affect their mills.
Chicago Plants to Close.
| Chicago, Sept 12.-Steel plants in
the Chicago district will be closed Il
the workers strike Monday, officials
stated today. No effort will be made
to use strike breakers. it was reported
Plans to this effect were being
worked out today by corporation Off
= cials. They believe that it will tend tC
= prevent bloodshed.
A canvass of the Gary. Ind. plant
officials of the company stated. show
ed that $500 out of 10,125 men in
terviewed expressed the opinion tina.
: they would remain at work and no
walk out Monday. Union officials an