The Glenwood post., 1919-10-04
GARY SAYS CO.
WILL never YIELD
Declares Open Shop is Issue
and That Industrial Decay
Will Follow Unionization
MEN ARE WELLTREATED

Washington, Oct. declaring that
the question Of the open shop-tho
right of . man to work irrespective Of
whether he was a member of labcr
union-was the sole issue in the nation
wide steel strike, Judge Ebert Ii.
Gary, chairman OF the board of the
United States Steel corporation, told
the senate investigating committee TO-
day that his corporation would never
yield. Even now, he said the strike is
1ailing.
There was no reason for the
strike" ssid Judge Gary. "The men
did not want it. 1t was forced on them
from the outside, by the organizers of
labor unions. The open shop is the
question here-the right to bring about
fullest production with only the inter
este of the employe, the employer and
the public in sight,
Labor leaders, he told the committee,
were seeking to unionize all industries
in the country. Should their efforts be
susees6ul, he asserted, industrial de-
cay would follow.
1T means the condition l fear Eng
laad Is in today" he added, "though
have hopes she will come out of it,
Judge Gary had not concluded his
testimony tonight and will be exam
ined again tomorrow. He gave way
foS - hour today to several employees
Of the corporation mills, who told
the committee they knew of no reason
for the strike. All agreed that the men
who Voluntarily responded to the strike
call were mostly foreigners, and one Of
them, John J. Martin, Youngstown
machinist, attacked the leaders of the
National Steel Workers committee.
II think John Fitzpatrick, (chair-
man Of the workers. committee), with
William z. Foster, (secretary OF the
committed, as able assistant, head a
band Of buccaneers who will overthrow
this government if they are not
stopped" said Martin, who explained
that hs himself was formerly q union
man. They were engaged, he said, in
"ssuttlins the American Federation Of
LAbof.n
Martin testified that the steel en-
ployes ct Youngstown, "American and
foreigners alike" had been terrorized
by threats to burn houses and kill
children. Judge Gary also said in the
course Of his testimony that the com
paay had much "hearsay evidence
against men who would not join in the
strike.
In the course of his testimony, Judge
Gary reviewed conditions leading up
TO the strike, and discussed at length
his refusal to meet the workers. na-
tional cimmittee. To have negotiated
with the committee, he said, would
have been departure from the com
pany's policy to treat directly with its
employees and would have damaged the
prestige Of the open shop policy.
Discussing this point with Senator
Borah, Republican, Idaho, he said con-
ditions might arise under which he
might talk with union leaders not EN-
ployed by his company.
Provided they said fairly that they
represented fifteen per cent of the men
employed, for instance" he said. "I
might discuss the wishes Of that is
per cant with them"
Mr.. Gary brushed aside the charges
Of union leaders that the corporation
had nistreated its mon with the state
ment that in NO basic industry in the
world were the men better treated OF
paid better wages. Later he went into
welfare work Of the company among
its employees and presented figures to
show 49, employees generally received
approximately three times as much
now - they did in 1914.
Although pressed by Senator Ken
yo1, chairman Of the investigating cen.
mittss, Mr.. Gary refused to discuss tha
efforts Of President Wilson to briaa
abest a understanding between tn