Evening star., 1937-06-12
BETHLEHEM FEARS
SPREAD OF STRIKE
Union Leader at Cambria
Unit Sees New Walk
outs Likely.
BY the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
JOHNSTOWN, Pa, June 12.-David
Watkins. subregional director Of the
steel union forces in Johnstown, said
today there was every possibility"
that the strike movement will spread
to all plants Of the Bethlehem Steel
Corp, employing 10000 men.
Watkins made this statement while
strike got under way at the corpora
tion's great Cambria works here.
Many non-strikers, however, ignored
the call for a walkout and the man.
agement announced that all depart
ments are operating"
There was no disorder Pickets did
not molest men who entered the plant
IN small groups to go to work.
Hopes 1t Spreads.
Asked If the strike might be ex-
tended to other Bethlehem mills, Wat
kins replied af'irmatively and added
Il hope it spreads fast"
The Cambria works employ approxi-
mately $4,000 men. Although the
management claimed operations were
continuing on schedule, Watkins said: =:
Il am sure there are at least 10000
men out"
Smoke poured from the big stacks
as usual and engines chugged back
and forth from the bills to railroad
sidings
Watkins, asserting the mills worked
on a reduced schedule Saturdays,
claimed the real test will come next
week
Few pickets were seen about the mill
gates.
Mills in Maryland.
Bethlehem has other plants in
Pennsylvania. Some of its mills are
situated in California, New York, New
Jersey, Maryland, Washington, Illinois
and Delaware. 1t is second only to
the United States Steel Corp. in pro-
duction
Watkins said he had suggested to
omcials Of the United Mine Workers
they call strikes in the five captive
mines OF the corporation in the Johns
town area. They produce coal only
for the steel mills. Between 1900 and
$500 miners are employed in the five
mines.
The Cambria strike was called in
sympathy with 800 union workers en-
ployed by the Conemaugh and Black
Lick Railroad. subsidiary of the
Bethlehem. who wanted signed COL
lective bargaining contract.
Demands Of Own.
Watkins said, however, that I'VE
have demands Of our own to make" :"
He added that the strike now would
not be called off unless Bethlehem
offered contracts both to the steel
workers and the railroad men.
Quiet prevailed all along the 7l5-
mile front covered by the steel COM
panys operating units on the Cone
maugh River. Groups of pickets
gathered here and there to talk about
the strike, but they ignored nom
strikers who passed nearby and en-
tered the mills gates.
The strike was an extension of the
steel workers walkout which already
has been in effect three weeks at mills
of the Republic Steel Corp, the
Youngstown Sheet d Tube Co. and
the Inland Steel Co., all OF which are
Independent of the United States
Steel Corp. Bethlehem, with 80 900
workers, Is the largest Of the inde-
pendent producers and next in size
to United States Steel
The walkout, timed for the chang
ing shifts at midnight Eastern day.
light time) was orderly, but Sheriff
Michael j. Boyle Of Cambria County
announced he had asked Gov. George
H. Earle's ONCE for State police ito
assist in maintaining order in this
strike"
He said he had been assured the
police would be supplied.
Report 10000 Idle.
The Steel Workers Organizing Com
mittee, which called the strike, as
serted through Watkins both before
and after the strike that 10000 were
idle.
Some workers remained inside the
gates, others walked into the plant
As the shift changed. There were
cheers for those who left the mill and
boos for those who entered, but there
the dem stration ended.
Watkins and company executives
conferred late last night in an at
tempt to prevent the strike, but after
an hour Watkins, subregional d.
rector Of the Committee for Indus
trial Organization. strobe from the
meeting and announced:
The company again refused to sign
= contract"
He said the company, through Syd-
ney D. Evans, its industrial relations
representative, has requested the con-
ference. Ralph E. Hough, assistant
to the general manager Of the plant,
announced "the mill will continue to
rum"
Calls Pep" Meeting.
Watkins then called what union
leaders said was pep" meeting and
In a hall that accommodated 1000
persons and was nearly filled, union
mon held IN fbair L,~J.