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Show LABOR CHIEFS CONFER. Labor leaders from all over the L'nlted States have gathered at Pittsburg Pitts-burg to discuss plans for the national strike of steel workers scheduled to l:o-gin l:o-gin next Monday unless Chairman Gary of the United States Steel corporation consents to treat "with the union chiefs. So far there have 1 oeu no indications that Judge Gary will abandon his position, po-sition, so the 'strike may be precipitated in spite of the request of tho president that all such matters bo held in abeyance, abey-ance, for tho time being. The numerous numer-ous plants of the United States 'Steel corporation havo not been unionized, but no doubt sonic thousands of men on the' payrolls hold union cards and will walk out if the strike order is issued. is-sued. Tho plants of other, steel companies, com-panies, however, are filled with union men, so if the nation-wido strike actually actu-ally occurs the great corporation will be able to keep some of its plants in operation oper-ation whilo the companies employing union labor exclusively will bo compelled com-pelled to close down. The Journal of Commerce, and Commercial Bulletin, in discussing the recent secret conference confer-ence of the labor chiefs, says: AH the report's eonneeted with these proceedings lor a great iron and steel strike, it certain demands are not complied com-plied with;- have--a formidable aspect, but it is hardly conceivable that a strike by all the iron and steel workers would be ordered or that any such order would be complied wdth if it should bo issued. If anything of that kind should happen,, it wouid be about tho worst -thintr eon-ceivablo eon-ceivablo for tlie steel unions and for labor la-bor organizations generally. It would be an utterly lawless attack, not only upon industrial and commercial int-Mesls of the country and the rights of those engaged en-gaged in them, but upon law and order and the authority of government. Notwithstanding Not-withstanding tho in-owed assumption as to the steel workers and their unions, thero is a. denial thalyiuore than a fraction frac-tion of them are members of tbe unions involved in ttio threats, and that any order or-der to su-ike would be obeyed to a "serious "seri-ous extent. However that may be, nothing noth-ing could bo worse for those concerned than such an attempt at a general uprising upris-ing against vital inlerests of the country coun-try at this time. Submission by authority author-ity lo anything of the kind would be degrading de-grading to the Anmi-h-an spirit. Tbe best' thing the. American Federation of Labor La-bor can do for itself as well as tbe country coun-try is to let this commotion subside and have the general questions of policy involved in-volved dealt with in a sober manner. The labor leaders assembled at Pittsburg Pitts-burg may decide to postpone the strike. Public sentiment is against them and their chance of winning is very slight. It is possible fpr them to paralyze the industry of tlie country for a time if they can induce the coal miners to go out, and John pitZnatriek, chairman of the national committee for i organizing iron and steel workers, addressed ad-dressed the convention of the United Mine Workers of America Tucsday ii'.orning at Cleveland. At this meeting, meet-ing, Acting President Lewis of the miners' union pledged the support of his organization. The question of postponement post-ponement of the strike w-as not mentioned. men-tioned. The prospect is not alluring, but it is hoped that wise counsel will pre-i pre-i vail and that the labor leaders w ill not force a test- of strength which cannot j help but prove disastrous to business : and ihe cause of unionism as well. |