Norwich bulletin., 1919-09-19

stF next. we respectfully make the 1 following report:
 l Unrest for Years.
 | For years there has been great un- l rest among the steel workers of our country because of the unusual un- American and despotic industrial con-
 ditions. Finding no redress in individ- ugAFfhorts. the men naturally sought, 1 by&Rhe example of other workers | through their organizations, to asso- ciate themselves for collective defense. Oppression growing beyond endurance, | the call for assistance to redress | grievances came from every quarter ! of the industry to the St. Paul con- Nention of the American Fedora ton of
 La Dor held in June, 1918. 4 commit tee consisting of representatives of the crafts engaged in this industry were ordered to and did make investi- Satlon They found the field overripe TOT organization The element of mem bership grew by leaps and bounds Relief from their oppression was inn mlnent and yet, out of patriotic con slderation to our cause. they endured the continued suffering without cessa = tlon Of their labors to the end that
 des spotism abroad might not gain thereby aid and comfort
 Persuaded to Wait.
 'Imp1ediately after armistice was
 declared the men insisted upon having their wrongs lighted. They were per-
 suaded, however. to wait until the At
 lantlc City convention of the Ameri- can federation of Labor held in June
 l9ls Following a report made to that convention, Mir. Gompers sought a conference with Mir. Gary chairman
 oi the finance committee of the United
 States Steel corporate on that sub
 !ect Tn the hope of avoiding a grave
 industrial conflict Mr. Gompers
 whose constructive patriotism is be-
 yond question. was denied even the
 courtesy of reply. Then the men
 insisted upon action and following
 authorization for taking a vote mon
 q strike. beginning with July goth and
 ending Aug 10th of this year 9s per
 cent Of the men voted for d strike.
 Appeal Made to President.-4sa--4 -s' Following the vote taken. a com mIttee representing the crafts involved
 went to Mir. Gary for the purpose of obtIininc a conference. in the hone of avoiding the strike. Mir Gary refused to sec the committee or deal with any strous of avoiding the conflict laid the entire matter before the executive council of the American Federation of Labor MT. Gompers a nd the execu- tive . council endorsed the actions of the men Nevertheless, in the hope or avertins conflict. an appeal was made to Your. Honor.
 Endorsed Strike Sept. 22.
 MT Gary. obstinate in his denial to grant relief. caused such a great unrest as to necessitate calling meeting of the presid ents of the fwen ty-four crafts involved After a thor oush. calm and deliberate review and study of the entire situation taking into consideration all the conseouences that would naturally flow therefron, these twenty-four presidents. repre- senting over 100000 organized men. endorsed the strike and set Sept 22d as the date therefor
 In a meeting called on Sept r at Pittsburgh of the representa- tives of the aforesaid crafts for the purpose of devislng ways and means of conduct ing the strike your communication through Mir. Gompers requesting that the date of the strike be postponed was received. Two days of considera- ton were given to the same. Everyone present desired, if it were possible, to comply with your request. Your re- quest for nostponement would have heen gladly granted were it not for the following facts:
 Reasons for Declining Request.
 ''1-Mr. Gary has asserted that his
 men need no trained representation in their behalf in presenting their griev- ances, notwithstanding that they can neither economically by lack of cope with him his repre- sentatives.
 2-That, ever since the men started to organize, a systematic persecution was instituted. beginning with dis charge and ending with murder, re- l calling to us Vividly the days of | and the reign of despotism 1 in Russia.
 "3-Through the efforts Of the repre- sentatives of the steel industry. off, i cia1s in various localities have denied ! the men free assembly and free l speech. Instances are too numerous <Tr,~~r men arrested tried on various un founded charges. excessive bail re- quired and cruel punishment imposed. 1 all without warrant in law and jus i tice.
 As one of many examples-in l the city of Mckeesport a meeting held l by the men within their constitutional 1 rights was broken up and men arrest | ed and thrown into jail. charged with l riot. and held to the excessive bail of 1, S3 900 each while one of the hirelings ] of the steel industry arrested for the l murder of a woman speaker at Brack- 1 of but s2 geo. Another patent exam 1 pie of Hammond. Ind, where four de- fenseless union men were charged l upon and killed by hired detectives of i behalf of their survivors have been so l nd maItreated that the 1 truth of the killing was suppressed
 "5-Guns and cannon have been | planted m m1uS. n1ShlN chdTSeu elec- | tric wires have been strung around | their premises. "6-Arned men in large numbers l are going about iptimidatinE not only l the workers but everybody in many l who show the slightest i indica ton of sympathy with the men | , '1-NTen have been discharged in | incre~ 1Gly large numbers day by ] day. ~.sits and ntimidat ion are re- | sorted t0 for the purpose of putting l the men in fear and prevent them from | the exercise of their own free will | coerced into signing statements that