Evening star., 1937-08-09

made 1000 workers idle and has
cost Is lives? Here are the find
inEs of an Associated Press survey
OF the Ohio strike front, focal
ground in John L. Lewis campaign
to unionize the steel industry.
~ the Associated Press.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio, August g.
A haze of black, yellow and white
smoke swirls down the Mahoning VAL
leg
Underneath the smoke of industry
remains the smoke of battle-the bat
tie Of c. 1. o. and little Steel" John
L. Lewis fight to win bargaining
agreements from Tom Girdler and
other steel masters.
I'VE are operating at 80 per cent
Of capacity" says w. B. Gillies,
Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. vice
president.
They're operating at loss" is the
response Of Joseph Gallagher, union
leader.
Near a picket headquarters the
wind flutters a sign: Victory is near.
Stay out till they sign"
Most union leaders agree a majority
OF strike-affected workers have re-
turned to the blast furnaces and open
hearths, to the rolling mills and the
multitude of operations that turn iron
ore into the sineWs of industry.
Will the c. I o. try to close the
plants again when its leaders feel the
time is propitious? None is comment
ing on that; they point out the STRIFE
still is officially on, and they say hun
dreds of workers continue idle.
Steel Men Determined.
The steel makers point only to their
rates of operation-generally the best
since l929-and reiterate they will
not give the union any signed con-
tracts, which the companies hold
would lead to 'the closed shop and
checkof."
Glllies said his concerns 90 per
cent production compares with pre-
strike rate of 10. In YOUNGSTOWN
alone Sheet e. Tube employs $4,000
men.
About so men indicted or arrested
were not taken back when we re-
opened with the help Of the National
Guard he said. Everybody else
who could get in was taken"
Gallagher estimated 500 c. 1. o.
members were still outside Sheet e.
Tube mills here and between 1900 and
1900 were carrying on the strike at
Republic Steel Corp. plants in Youn9s-
town.
Along busy Poland avenue, where
two were killed in one night of
rioting. there were only lines of auto
mobiles owned by workers.
They won't let us picket" Gallagher
said. They throw them in Jail. Be-
sides, there isn't much point in picket
ing. We know they're opera ting, but
It's costing them plenty"
Republic employs about $500 In
Youngstown.
Pickets Active at Niles.
North OF this steel center picketx
were playing cards at post across
the street from the Niles plant, where
1,200 work. At Warren a hundred
or more men lounged in groups on
Pine street, which leads to Re-
public gate. A crowd stood at
commlssary next to union headouar-
ters. Inside Mrs. Dean Perrin In
charge, stirred six kettles of SOUP for
the pickets.
Men were pouring sugar and pota-
toes into bags. Twice a week, strikers
line up to get food for their families
The G. I. o. aided by donations, paws
the bills, Mrs. Perrin said Michiean,s
United Automobile Workers sent %
tons of canned food.
Warren picket posts were manned
up to the limits of court iniunc-
ton. Strike Leaders Harry Wines
and J. w. Grujciar said there were
$500 striking Republic employees to
keep them manned The plant nor
mally employs 5000
The $500 still on strike include
come OF the best tin-mill workers in
the country and some Of the best cold
strip men, Grujciar said-but Re-
public officials reported the Warren
mill was operating at about 90 Der
cent
Pickets Watch Shifts Change.
Pickets watched the shifts change
at Republics Canton plant without
breaking up their card game under
tree opposite the main gate.
Come back in week" one picket |
said. "Therell be some news"
Plcketlng continued at Massillon, !
but there was little apparent to re-
mind the city of the July II rioting,
IN which two men died More pickets
were on duty in Cleveland, where Re-
public employees 1000.
Republics Chairman Tom Girdler
and c. l. O'c Chairman John I,
Lewis continue to stand out in the
strike picture.
Only last week Girdler expressed
belief Lewis organizat ton was "on the
downgrade," and said he expected no
further trouble from the steel strike.
Lewis has been silent lately. Steel
men wonder what his plans are. Some
OF them, at least, doubt he has called