The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-04-02
CHIEF CAUSE OF
STEEL SHORTAGE

| III lit - hlbNh DidNVo c1i {
handicapped and delayed by the
hoggish and inhuman policy of the
United States Steel Corporation
with regard to labor. The National
Committee for Organizing Iron and
Steel Workers points to the true
cause of steel shortage in the fol-
lowing carefully considered state
ment:
Something like CONSERVATION is
being shown by the automobile
manufacturers and other large buy
ers of steel at the increase of about
100000 tons per month in un-
filled orders in the offices of the
United States Steel Corporation
These now reach to the enormous
total of 100000 tons,
Already the auto producers are
sending out danger signals warn
> ing of the general shortage that
will confront the consuming pub
lie with the coming of warmer
weather.
But bad as the situation is now,
the men in close touch with bust
ness affairs are decidedly alarmed
at the situation which will present
itself when the Spring demand for
CT ,.tt r. CT Thnro &c,
q wild clamor for dwelling houses,
hotels, apartment houses and Of
fices. All this is in addition to the
natural requirements for ordinary
industrial expansion. Added to all
this is the avalanche of orders COM
ing from the railroads running all
the way from spikes and rails to
finished steel cars.
Yet in the face of this unprece-
denied demand for steel and steel
products, 1.-The greatest corporation
in the world" and its satellites are
helpless and amazed. Stockholders
are grumbling as Wall Street re-
ports the leading steel shares SELL
ing considerably below par.
| In time the interested parties
may realize that a good part of the
lcountry's embarrassment because of
the shortage of steel can be traced
directly to the stupid labor policy
of the big steel combines. Last
Fall sooner than concede an inch of
its time-honored oppressive tactics
by agreeing to discuss some very
pressing grievances of the steel
workers with their representatives
the steel trust forced a four months
strike. After spending millions of
dollars, using every agency that
money could buy or influence could
sway, the victory was technically
won by the steel barons.
Not till the workers got back in
the mills did they realize the full
price the trust had paid. They
found the equipment which they
had left in 1909 condition little
better than scrap piles. And the
workers who did go back into the
mills were in anything but a pleas
ant frame of mind Their hearts
were full OF hate instead of happi-
ness. This did not help a situation
already nearly as bad as it could be.
Many found other work and will
never go back in the mills. So
now in practically every steel CEN
ter in the country there is an acute
shortage of labor-especially COM
mon labor. For years the steel
trust has placed its chief reliance
on the foreign labor for this class
of help. Though these men have
apparently been willing beasts of
burden for the past score of years,
it is now evident that the worm has
| turned. Thousands have left for
| lHelI NATIVE JANUS, OIHeTS Will 20
as soon as the bars against emigra-
ition are lowered. In any event
great numbers are planning to
leave the steel mills when the
warmer weather comes.
/ One husky steel worker said to
the writer at one of Vhe meetings,
Il go some eight hour job. Some
like II and IA hour day, "a hour at
turn, he go steel mills Me no like
any more" Forty others who heard
this statement nodded their heads
in approval.
1t seems, therefore, that Judge
Garys victory" consists in having
lot of mills full of crippled ma
chinery, not more than 500
force of common labor and a more
general feeling of discomfort than
has ever before been known in the
steel industry
On the other hand, manufactur-
haipn h,,;II;Aar :.