New-York tribune., 1919-09-23
Great Pittsburgh Plants
Show Native Born Are
Almost 100 Per Cent
Loyal to Companies
Forces of the Law
Are Standing Firm
Strikers Talk Of ssMarch''
Down Monongahela, but
Troops Bar the Way
By Theodore M. Knapper

By Theodore M. knapper
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 22-G Grim, stern
and sad was the smoking valley
of the Monongahela as dawn broke
through the river mists this morning.
With it came the strike The clouds
were still glowing with the reflected
light of furnace fires. and the hills
still echoing with the sonorous roar
OF massive rollers CRUSHING steel
blooms, as the strike test hour of
changing shifts arrived with the new
day. The smoke was still coming from
the pillared rows of stacks, and the
red lines of rolling steel were still
gliding down the long bays of the
vaulted mills. Would the smoke con-
tinue to pour forth ard the fiery steel
still move on in steady stream? was
the question of loyalists and strikers
alike, as, some to see and some to work,
they tramped down the streets to the
mills.
tear of violence ard for fear OF want
Wives of the loyalists among the for
eigners sometimes clung. to their hus-
bands and implored them to stay away
lest harm bcfall them, and the women
OF the strikers wept for fear of evil
days of dcstitution.
Feared Strikers Airplanes
weird story of strikers airplanes
coming to bomb the houses of "scabs"
took deep hold on many, and there
was mach anxious searching of the
skies.
stood in one of the squalid foreign
streets of Homestead leading to gate
of the mills as the night shifts came
out and the day shifts went in. Both
were quiet, hurried and somber. The
mounted constabulary, sitting motion
less on their dark horses, guarded the
gates and warned all who came and
went by the gravity of their presence
that this vas no time for lcvity or
idling.
The outcomers poured down the
street in steady, plodding streams and
the incomers passed them in defensive
groups with furtive glances for feared
assault Some of those whc came out
were out to stay and, as the troopers
were left behind, they assumed a de-
tiant air and waved their overall
bundles to passing acquaintance in
token of strike quitting. Those who
went in went as soldiers to the battle
"a battle for the sake of their Jobs.
White capped women and tow headed
children crowded to the gates all along
the way and sadly watched those who
weis, and those who came. The day
Of decision had arrived.
Homestead Stands Firm
Comparing the crowds of workers
pouring into the plant with those COM
ing OUT, it was soon plain to see that
the giant Homestead mills were stand
Whatever might happen elsewhere, the
Steel Corporation was winning here.
The overwhelming majority of the merp
had elected to work and not to strike
Moreover, most of them were there
to fight, if need be- To them the is
sue was not one OF unionism or anti
unioniSm, but one of Americanism
against alenism and of free labor
against a Lcnine like labor minority
dictatorship sought to be imposed
upon the steel industry by outsiders
Later in the day. when the strikers
had had time to "dress up" and come
out on the streets, knots of them
could be seen loahng and idling here
and there, and invariably they had the
mark of central and eastern Europe
on their faces and figures Not an
American was to be seen among them.
They had little to say beyond an
policeman, or, as they preferred to
style him, n "cossack," trotted by.
They professed not to be concerned by
Homestead's steadfastness, and en-
couragcd themselves with talk of a
dollar an hour for common labor and
pay for all time lost on strike when
the controversy was over with victory
on their side
Skilled Men Stay on Job
Further up the valley, at Braddock
and DuQuesne, the steam and smoke
and rushing roar of all the Edgar
Thompson and Duquesne plants told of
substantial initial victory there. AS
at Homestead. numbers of common
laborers, entirely foreigners. had gone
out, but the key men, the skilled men,
were everywhere on the job, and most
of the processes and most of the plant
units were working, though produc-
ton was reduced.
At McKeesport the streets bore evil
dence of many men being on strike
and others remaining at home for fear
of violence. For days the air had
been full of rumored threats Of what
would happen to those who worked, and
anonymous letters also had their ef-
feet. To many workers it seemed the
part of prudence to stay away from
trouble. These timid ones will wait
to line up with victory, Many may
be back at work tomorrow, or many
who worked to-day may surrender to
fear tomorrow. Nevertheless, the
strikers were disappointed. TOO many
policemen" said one, with a shrug
Clarion Plants Badly Hit
Not until Clarion was reached was