Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-09-22
Steel Strike is
Fight of Radicals
and Conservatives


ana labor profess to lie ready to fight
to the last ditcl. over the issue of the
closed" VS. open shop conspiciously
involved in the strike. of the steel
workers, which goes into effect at mid
night tonight.
The progress and outcome of the
strike are frau9ht with the utmost i'm
portance not only to labor and apital
but to the American people.
While it Is renewal of the battle
lost by the workers in the bloody
Homestead riots twentyseven years
ago, the strike against the United
States Steel corporation, the greatest
employer of labor in the country Is
regarded by many observers as the
opening gun Of a general union war
on capital In the shadow of which the
presidents conference. which meets
on Oct. g. will endeavor to formulate
the principles of permanent Industrial
peace.
A Presidential Issue.
II Mr.. Wilson's conference fails TO
lay the foundation of a sound rcla-
tionship of capital and labor it is not
doubted that Industrial warfare will
enter upon more alarming stage and
that the issue will be projected into
the presidential election OF next year.
bringing forward new candidates and
Transforming that contents completely
The radicals of organized labor are
now reaching cut for supremacy. 1t
Is against the advice of the conserva-
tive element that the steel strike was
called at this time. in defiance of the
presidents request for a temporary
truce pending the efforts of the gov
ernment to reduce the cost of living.
and pending the deliberations OF the
White House conference.
Challenge to Gompers.
John Fitzpatrick. president of the
Chicago Federation OF Labor and
chairman Of the steel workers commit
tee. carried thru the radical program
and Is now regarded as the head of the
faction that sooner or later will chal-
lenge Samuel Gompers' conservative
leadership Of the American Federation
Of Labor.
Fitzpatrick also Is active in promot-
Ing the movement for the formation
Of a labor party to nominate candi-
date for president next year on a plat
form proposing to introduce soviet
principles into Industry and govern
ment.
Miners Enter the Fray.
The miners demands for national-,
izatfon Of the coal mines with work
ers' share in management Is the lat
est manifestation Of the movement
which first materialized in the Plumb
plan for labor control Of the railroads.
As a result Oft the announcement Civ
en- their program by President Wilson,
the radicals entertain high hopes OF
capturing the democratic convention
next year In default of which the for
nation of labor party is certain, they
say. w.
The twenty-four unions striking
against the steel corporation have
formulated their demands, but are ig-
nored by the employers. On the issue,
Of the closed shop the corporation and
the unions as as far apart as the poles.
The directors have declared that the
steel plants shall be open shops, and
Chairman Gary has refused to deal
with the union leaders on the ground
that they are not employees.
NT0 HCOS SkoI ~ eaSSS.
The unions complain Of starvation
wages in the mills. and the corpora
tion replies with this citation of av-
erage pay:
Average earnings Of sheet rollers
for an eight-hour day: Heaters,
s2112; roughers, $11.92: catchers,
$11.s2; steel Rourers. s12.s4; vessel
men, s14.e5; enatneers and manipula-
tors, s12.os.
Average earnings Of men employed
on twelve hour turns: Blooming mill
heaters. s17.s2: skelp mill heaters,
s1s.1S; skelp mill rollers, s21.7S; lap
welders, s16.O8: blowers, s13.7e bot
tom makers 1921: regulators, s13.52.
Semi skilled labor, $4.44 to ss.26 a
day, with the majority doing better
than $s day, usually an eight hour
day.
Common labor, AZ to so cents an
hour, or about $125 to $14O-a month"
The big steel strike will cost the
workers approximately 100000 a
week in wages and the organized la
Dor unions about $2,ooo,00o, it was .ss-
timated by American Federation Of
Labor officials here.
Should 100000 men walk out, the
strike benefits would have4to be OBJ
tanned from the men remaining Al.
work and organization contingent
funds. The unions involved have
larger number of members employed
in plants not affected and assessments
ranging up to 81 a day will be levied
against those who stay on the Job.
According to advance estimates OF
the presidents Of the twenty four
unions, at least 100000 will lay down
their tools tomorrow. What the strike
benefits will be has not been ascer-
taihed.
No estimate has come from the steel
operators as to what their losses will
be should the workers succeed In clos
ing the steel mills completely.
mills we,s. closed. ,Gt,s.1I,at,y officials