The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-06-09

ton OF a tin mill.
In other mill towns in recent
months, borough officials have
made formal ceremony of lighting
giant blast furnaces, cold, many Of
them, during the entire depression
The click of brass checks. Men
returning to their shops. Steel mills
roaring in an era of industrial re-
covery.
Can it be that over this picture
of a nation emerging from dark
days there hangs a threat OF
strike-a threat, perhaps, of the
greatest strike this country ever has
seen-a strike threatening the en-
tire recovery program?
1--WE want recognition of our
union" say members of the Anal
gamated Association of Iron, Steel
and Tin Workers. an A. F. of l.,
affiliate. Then we want thirty
hour week. Machines are driving
men out of the mills. The work
must be spread
Minorities Gain Control
They ask also for higher wages
but that is not in the immediate
foreground. That can be argued il
recognition comes.
A Communist organization, the
Sheet and Metal Workers Industrial
Union, a purely local outfit with
national ambitions, echoes the same
demands.
What brings this turmoil at this
time? Why is there a threat OF
strike when the steel industry is
running better than at any time
since the depression? The quick
est answer is that the situation has
been brought about by minorities
And the immediate objective is
union recognition.
The present fight is different
from anything in the long battle
between steel and labor. In the
bloody Homestead strike, workmer
fought to save the union then rec
ognized but scheduled to be kicked
out. In 1919, there was an out
right campaign to unionize common
labor in steel and to put an enc
to the long working hours. Those
we're the days just after the high
wage war period, and workmen hac
"a little something laid aside"
Squirt Brings Opportunity
But now the long working day has
gone eight is the maximum and
the depression has long since eaten
debt over their heads-to the town
merchants, to the company stores
The present squirt of the steel in
duStry is due to the thriving auto
business, to the fact that buyers
are taking advantage of the present
steel prices (the announced increase
goes into effect July u and to OPP
orators repleniShing stocks in an
ticipation of the strike, threatened
for June Is.
The squirt has given the workmen
a chance to begin to get on his feet
again.
And if decision had been left
with the conservative officers of the
Amalgamated, headed by 77-year-
old Michael F. Tighe, there would be
no threat of Strike-at least not this
summer. Tighe and the vice-pres-
idents, Edward w. Miller and
Thomas G. ellis, and Louis (Shorty)
Leonard, secretary treasurer, fought
but lost control of the recent con-
vention and the sign or strike" I'LL
timatum was showed through.
1t came about in this way:
Company Unions Formed
Since the passage of the National
Industrial Recovery Act, the Anal
gamated, like all national unions
took to the field in a vigorous or
, ganization campaign. In a year it
had grown from ninety-three lodges
to 232. The previous high was 229
in 1919.
But mill owners were not sitting
idle. Everywhere company unions,
or, as the magnates prefer, the EN-
ploye Representation Plans" were
organized. The Amalgamated pep
pered at company unions continu-
ouSly and quoted such national fig
ures as Miss Frances Perkins, labor
secretary, and Senator Robert F.
Wagner.
At Weirton, w. Va, where E. T.
Weir's Weirton Steel Company is
located, the first break came = a
strike last September. 1t started
over a question of Sunday night
work, was at first condemned by
Amalgamated officials, but later. to
make the best of a bad situation