New-York tribune., 1919-10-03
Leaders Could Save Faces
and Hold Membership.
Which Has Doubled
Since the Conflict Began
Pittsburgh Mills Gaining
Workers Flock From Other
Districts; General Re-
sumption Is Planned
By Theodore M. knappen

PITTSBURGH. Oct. BY holding
their own or better, the steel mills in
and around Pittsburgh which have kept
their wheels turning or have resumed
aIter suspension are causing such a
marked migration of labor from the
down and out" steel centres that the
latter are preparing in self de fence to
resume operations somewhat earlier
than otherwise would have been the
case.
1t is feared that within another week
the migration from the towns of the
silent mills will reach such serious
proportions as to affect production
long after the strike is over
The fact that many mills in this dis
tr1ct were running, though short of
men, and that they were planning to
introduce larger proportion of Ameri-
cans, has afforded an excellent oppor-
tunity for advancement for men
thrown out of work elsewhere The
same opportunity is attracting many
Office men and others who have been
astonished to learn during the strike
how much better mill workers are paid
than clerical men.
Victories Elsewhere Futile
The result of the shifting of work
ers and the infusion of new blood,
elsewhere, is interpreted by steel COM
pany officials here as of decisive i'm
pOrtance in the strike outcome All
along they have asserted that victories
for the strikers elsewhere were futile
unless the Pittsburgh steel fortress
could be stormed. They have pulled
through at the cost Of tremendous
strain and now fresh workers are com
ing in to reinforce them.
Tins tho DivOtn1 DOjDt Of tho bn ~ IL,
line is more strongly held than ever
Realizing that they must make places
for their loyal lncu al once in order
to hold them. the mills at Donora
Mouessen, Youngstown, etc. are nov
preparing TO take the chance of some
rioting and the high cost OF inefficient
production Incidental to resum;ng work
with partial forces.
Strikers Gather Ilata
With Secretary William Z. Foste,
in Washington to testify before the
Senate Committee on Labor and Edu-
cation, there was little life at national
strike headquarters here to-day and the
Office force was concerning itself large
~ with collecting data regarding ar
rests OF strikers and organizers tha
are declared to unjustified.
Much was made OF the arrest yester-
there. Between the Sheriff and the
NlCuSIN Ccen arrested ana uUcu, Wnllt
they were gathered at strike headquar
ters in Mckeesport to have their dcpo
sitions taAen. At the same time The
office was closed by the local police
acting under the orders of the Mayor
so that now the strikers. who wer,
not permitted to hold meetings II
McKeespol1, are even without an office
there Between the Sheriff and the
local executives the organizers say
that they cannot tell whether they
have the right TO meet or not IN Ger
tain boroughs-
Edwin NeWrdicG, the press agent O.
the strka co 1imittee, summed up The
meeting situation in a telegram t.
Secretary Foster to-day as follows:
'Attorney Jacob Roe and thirty
three men present making deposit tion'
for Senate committee hearings a
Pittsburgh arrested in McKeesport. AL
taken to police station. Denied per
mission FOR further gatherings to tax.
further depositions. Central Labol
Headquarters. Mckeesport, used by 10
cal organizing committee. closed by 10
cal authorities invoking some fire es
cape regulation, although room wa
used only for meetings OF delegate