Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1919-10-09
VIEWS
ON LAW Be SECRET
Seeks to Exclude Reporters
From the Senate Hearing.
M. F. TiGHE ANSWERS GARY
Head of Steel Workers Union Charges
S2O,O00,oO0 in Fund Was Used to
Fight the Strike-Don't
Seek Closed Shop.


he had not been fairly treated by the
newspapers, William q. Foster, secre-
tary of the steel strikers committee,
told the senate committee Investigate
ing the strike that he would answer
question as to whether he was in
favor Of organized government II the
correspondents were excluded from
the room.
The committee took no action on the
request, and Senator Mcclellan. Demo
crat, Tennessee, and Chairman Ken
yon pressed for answer to the ques-
ton, which had been put by the for
mer. Foster said his views had
changed, but that he was unwilling
to say how far ia the presence of the
correspondents.
Don't Want Views Banded About"
When Senator Mcclellan first asked
his question, Foster laughed. The sen
ator then read from book, which Eos
ter agreed he had written, declaring
social revolution necessary in the
United States to secure workers
rights.
give repudiated that pamphlet,
said Foster, "but | don't want my
views banded about by lot OF pre-,
JUDGED lying newspapers to the dam
age of the strikers"
Foster said his own views had not
teen used in the steel strike; that ne
had adhered to the principles OF trade
unionism." He explained that he was
raised in the slums and that when he
wrote the book he was "a follower OF
the Spanish, French and italian union
system" Today, he added, he had be
! come a little less radical possibly,
and was "a believer in American and
English trade unionisln."
Reading from the pamphlet on Syn
dicalism" section saying that 1.-THE
wage Garner proposes to ignore the
code of ethics and wrest from the cap
italists the industries they have stolen
and bring about the revolution by the
general STRIKE" Senator McKella1
asked Foster if he entertained those
views now?
"I'll say do not" Foster said in a
lowered voice.
Giving a detailed history of union
activities in the steel industry, Michael
r. Tighe, president of the Iron, Steel
and Tin Workers union, told the com
mittee that the United States Stee!
corporation, instead Of Heading the
van in advancing wages, as Judge Gary
has claimed has Jagged behind our or
ganizatiOn."
"Information given to you by Judge
Gary" Mr.. Tighe said, ''was not first
hand evidence gained from practical
knowledge of the industry, but, in
stead, consisted of the statements
made to him by his employees, fore
men and superintendent. 1t was far
and away from being the truth about
the industry
Mr.. Tighe repeated the charge that
the Steel corporation early in it's his
tory had appropriated $2O,OOO,OOO to
informants. The unions, he said, had
never sought the "closed shop" but
union shops"
Union Shop Not Closed Shop.
"When the management signs con-
tract as to scales and working condi-
tons it is union shop" he explained.
''The effect is the same as a closed
shop, isn't it?" asked Senator Sterling
(Rep.) of South Dakota
mo-" said Mr.. Tighe. ''We are not
asking for closed shops and never
have"
Mr.. Tighe read an advertisement of
1909, credited to the United States
Steel corporation, which said: men
Wanted-Syrians, Poles and Rouman-
ians preferred"
"The gentleman's (Mr. Cary re-
marks about foreigners now" Tighe
remarked, "are not we'll taken in view
of that"
do you charge that from 1909 on
there was a steady increase of foreign
workmen in the Steel company's
mills?" asked Senator Walsh Dem.)
of Massachusetts.
n L