The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-30
STEEL CORPORATION
AND IT'S EMPLOYEES
By HOLLAND.

Various rumors which refer to strike
of all the steel workers of the United
States have been for several days IN
circulation All of them are somewhat
disquieting. Perhaps the most persis-
tent of these reports is an assertion
tina. about two months ago Samuel
Gompers speaking for the American
Federation of labor. said to Judge II.
n. Gary, that it is the purpose of the
federation thoroughly to unionize the
artisans employed by the United States
steel corporation, On the other hand
to offset this report the statement Is
made that Mr.. Gompers did no more
than communicate with Judge Gary
for the purpose of securing his consent
to a conference in which the demands
of the steel and iron workers could be
discussed and If possible met.
These two reports however are not
inconsistent 1t may be that Mr.
Gompers did write to Judge Gary to
ask for a conference. And it also may
be that he caused the intimation to be
made that it was the purpose of the
American Federation of Lab to COM
pletely unionize the artisans and all the
employees of the steel corporation.
Therefore the situation as it is today
seemed to hinge upon the return OF
Mr.. Gompers from Europe and the at
titude which Judge Gary viii take. 1t
! is regarded as significant that up to
| this time Judge Gary has not spoken.
But If he has not uttered a word for
publication he is presumably with his
associates, doing great deal OF deep
thinking. His friends say that he is
now persuaded that it would be I'M
possible seriously to affect the skilled
artisans of the United States steel cor
poration. These wage earners have
their own unions and appear in the
past to have been contented with these
organizations. Therefore the question
remains can men like Gompers ana
others infuse into the skilled artisans
spirit of unrest not hitherto noticeable,
so as to bring these artisans into full
association with the Federation OF
Labor.
A NATIONWIDE STRIKE
Following the very threatening at
titude of the railway shop workers is
the attitude of the iron and steel work
ers or at least those of them who arc
now associated with the American Fed
Grafton Of labor. For If this organiza-
ton should be able to command the
the steel and iron industry find it UNI
wise to yield to the demands OF the
artisans then productiveness in that
industry may cease for the time and
if the strikes should be long continued
the effect would be serious on all
American industries and in fact bring
about a condition to which President
Wilson referred in his reply to the rail-
way shopmen.
TT NAV he that .JudCe Gary and others
who are directing the steel and iron
industries of the United States deem
this an appropriate time to resist de-
mands IF this kind and especially the
attempt to unionize all the wage
earners and to press the issue, whether
the employers shall be able hereafter
to manage their own industries or
whether they should yield in all re-
spects to the employees.
1t is certain that the contemplated
strike of the steel and iron workers is
causing considerable apprehension in
the financial district. There is excel
lent understanding in that district OF
the effect of strike of this Kind upon
national prosperity. an effect which
will surely delay all the endeavors now
under way to secure a return Of normal
conditions and reduction in the high
cost of the necessaries of life.
While American citizens knew In
general way that our trade with Can
ada has so far developed that the Do
minion has become the best customer
of the United States at least since the
European war began: nevertheless few
have realized the magnitude which that
trade assumed Our trade with Canada
and with South America is likely within
a few short years to surpass in magni-
tude the entire volume of our trade with
other nations Of the world.
H.. ~
reports that the Dominion is now buy
ing three times as much in the United
States as 1T bought before the war
began and ten times as much as she
bought twenty years ago. This author
ity gives official figures stating that
in the last year of the past century the
aggregate trade between the Domin-
ion and the United States was hundred
and thirty millions.
At the end of March of the present
year the total trade aggregated one
billion two hundred and seventy-seven
millions for the previous twelve month.
Canada is in some respects similarly
situated. so far as trade is concerned.
with the European nations which are
now relying upon the United States for
commodities and also for the means
whereby the purchase of these commo-
dities can be financed. For Canada has
been compelled to come to the United
States in order to secure much needed |
funds the aggregate Of which is many
millions. Since 1918 our own people |
bought commodities in Canada of the
money value of one billion eight hun !
bred million dollars round numbers. but
in the same year we sold to the Cana |
dian people commodities whose money |
value was I rec billion two hundred |
and sixty-eight million dollars. There |
was therefore in these six years trade |
balance in favor of the United States |
of nearly one billion five hundred mil
lion dollars
The magnitude of these figures ade- |
quately proves the Industrial. CONNER !