Republican farmer., 1919-10-03

Washington, Oct. 1.---Denying that the United States Steel Corporation had mistreated its men. as charged by union leaders, Judge EIbert H. Gary, chairman of the corporation. told the Senate committee investigating the steel strike today that in his opinion there was no basic industry in the world which had paid larger wages than his company.
 ''It has been stated before this com mittee,'' said Judge Gary, that the steel companies have been guilty of i'll treatment of their employees. Some statements have been made on mis- information and some absolutely with out foundation T wish to state, MT. Chairman, that there is no basic industry in this country nor in the world, in my opin- ion, which has paid larger wages than the U. S. Steel Corporation, and per haps not as large nor has treated their employees in greater respect and if IS great.
 Tt has been charged that during the pending strike the subsidiary com panies have been guilty of attacking and mistreating employees.
 There isn't vestige of truth in that statement. Photographs were displayed here and it was said a woman was killed. This photograph has been posted all over America, with a line over it Mrs. Fannie Zel- lens body ghoulishly mistreated by the steel trusts feadish crew.
 ''She was shot at Breckinridge, Pa. We have no works there, no men there. If she was killed, it was with out even the knowledge of the steel corporation or any of it's employees"
 Haven't your company investigat- ed that matter, in view of the ., charger asked Chairman Kenyon.
 The verdict of the coroner's jury" said the witness, made it certain that no agent of ours had the remot- est connection with her death.''
 'I have the certified copy of that verdict" said Senator Phipps Re publican, Colorado.
 "I'n file that
 we have discussed the incident with some of our people," Judge Gary resumed, mot because we thought they might be guilty, but for infor- nation. Our orders and our policy are against any activity which could lead to anything of that kind.'
 With labor leaders advancing the claim that all plants in the Pitts burgh district have been crippled by the steel workers strike and the en- p1oyers maintaining that more men are returning to work each day and that the mills are operating a near ly full time, the situation today re- mained as it has been for several days past, virtually unchanged.
 According to the latest figures from strike headquarters 375,000 iron and steel workers of the country are on strike, this representing an in crease of 33,O00 over last weeks to- tai. A majority of the men who joined the strike during the last three days walked out from Bethlehem Steel Company plants and the Jones and Laughlin company mills in Pitts burgh, strike leaders say.
 The frast show of strength by the strikers came last night, when meet ing was held here. It was estimated that more than 5000 men attended the session. Speakers urged the strikers to be peaceful and warned them to have no association with radical agitators.
 Sharon, Pa., Oct. 1-When work men attempted to enter the plant of the Sharon Steel Hoop Company to- day they were turned back by a crowd of pickets a short distance from the mill gate. Police were rush ed to the mill and dispersed the pick cts, one of them being placed under arrest, for mo1esting workers.
 R. V. Lindabury, counsel for the corporation, said the woman was kill ed during a strike of coal miners. Judge Gary said in his opinion the "shot probably was fired by the strik- CTS themselves" He added that his company had no interest in the coal mines where the riot occurred.
 Senator Phipps read a certified copy of the inquest record in the case. The jury's verdict said the killing was by persons unknown and that the deputy sheriffs involved were firing in self defense.
 Chairman Kenyon asked whether sheriffs were sworn in at the corpor- atIons plants and were on the com pany's payroll.
 q shouI say yes,'' said MT. Gary. ''So far as I know they have had nothing to do with any of these out breaks"
 He added that 1t was possible that some of the company's guards had participated in disturbances since the steel strike began, but pointed out that Mrs Zellins was killed before the strike started.
 Washington, Oct. 1-Referring tc testimony of President Gompers, of the American Federation of Labor that Jefferson D. Pierce, a union or ganizer, had been beaten by company agents while attempting to organize unions in the steel mills and died from injuries, Judge Gary read ar affidavit which he said had been sen to his office.
 tI was with my father the nigh he received his injuries said the af fdiavit, "and he said they were no caused by any agents Of the stee corporation.
 "He was injured by a member O. the I. W. W. faction which was en deavoring to gain control of the or ganization. I wish to refute mos enphatically the charge of MT. Comp CTS that his death was caused by any agent of the U. s. Steel Corporation He died one year later of cancer re sul+ing from the wound"
 Judge Gary then took un the state rent of Iohzl Eitzpa.rick chairman