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Show : PLEA OF PRESIDENT IS 'REGRETFULLY REFUSED llEI JUSTIFY REFUSAL TO HALTJTRIKE Steel Workers' National Committee Makes Pub- i lie Reply to Wilson's Appeal to Postpone. Declare That Delay Would Mean "Surrender "Surren-der of All Hope"; Corporation Cor-poration Is Blamed. PITTSBURG, Sept. 16. The steel workers' nationaj committee late tonight to-night made public a lett.-r it has drafted draft-ed and sent to President Wilson, giving eleven reasons why it could not comply with his request to postpone the steel workers' strike called for next Monday. The letter also recites the. history of the movement to better the conditions of tho workers and expresses ex-presses faith in the president's "desire "de-sire to bring about a conference" with employers. " "V e regret t hat for The first tim? your call upon organized labor can not meet with favorable response." the letter states. "If delay were no more than delay, even at the cost of loss of membership in our organizations, we would urge the-, same to the fullest of our ability, notwithstanding the men are firmly set for an immediate strike. But delay here means the surrender of all hope.' TEXT OF REPLY TO PRESIDENT'S PLEA. The text of the letter is as follows: "Answering your request through Samuel Gompers. president of the American Federation of Labor, that the date of the strike in the steel industry in-dustry of this country be postponed from September "2nd next, the date heretofore fixed, until after a conference confer-ence called by you to meet in Washington Wash-ington on October 6 next, we respectively respect-ively make the following report: "For years there has been great unrest un-rest among the steel workers of our country because of the unusual, un-American un-American and despotic industrial conditions. condi-tions. Finding no redress in individual individ-ual efforts, the men naturally sought, by the example of other workers through their organizations, to associate asso-ciate themselves for collective defense. Oppression growing beyond endurance, the call for assistance to redress grievances griev-ances came from every quarter of the industry to the Si. Paul convention of the American Federation of Labor, held in June, IftlS. , A committee consisting of representatives of the crafts engaged en-gaged in this industry were ordered to and did make investigation. Thev found the field over-ripe for organization. organiza-tion. The enrollment of membership grew by leaps and bounds. Relief from their oppression was imminent and yet, (Continued on Page 10. Column 2.) ' ly the days of Homestead and the rei.cn ' of despotism m K;;ia. , 'Through the oil'tofhro- I I'l'tllavs locahfieVVlave'dcr.ted the men , free a.-emblv and free speech. Instances . a re far too numerous w r.ero metmu 1 ''no 'on mmvsscd.. :r.en arrested, tried : on various -aiifeuudod charges. ocess:ve Vail root: trod and cruel juimslitner.t im- .posed, all without warrant in taw and !J,,--V'As ore of many cvnn'.plest In the city of McXe.'sport. a iv.cel.r- l-i,l;y itiie m.eT ;i h.ui tlien cor st u 1 amai r. I was broken up ard men arrestol and thrown into -ail. charged with not and I he'.d to the excess. e hail of f.V i while one of the hirclme.s of tee s.cel ! mdustrv arrcs.ed for th.o mr.rder of a i oman' speaker at i'rackem uh:e. Pa., is ! heme held under bail of but S-.'V All-i All-i other patent example is Hammor.o. lnd., where lour defense. ess union men were charged upon ar.d killed by hired codeines code-ines of tho steel industr-. and witnesses in behalf of their surwors have boon so intimidated and mallieated teat the truth of the k'.llm.u- was s;ppressed. j Charge Ititimivlation. j Ov.tts and cannon havo been elan ted in mills, ki.chiy charged electric w ires ka o been strung aiound tlu-.r I l''iV Armed men in larce numbers are ioinc about intiur'.d i'.-.nv:. not oniy lee I workers, bvt every", ody in ntany oom-m oom-m unit ;es w ho seo s th.o s. ich: est indi-. a-tion a-tion ot svmpaih.y with the men. T ,en !ae been discharged in in-rreas'.iwlv in-rreas'.iwlv lare.o num'oers day by cay. Threats 'and intimidations are resoried to for the purpose of puttim: the men m fear and it veutir- them trom the exercise ex-ercise of thee- own free will . they are coerced into si.cr.me statements that thoy are not members r.or wili become mem-rers mem-rers of anv labor cr e.an eia ', ion, and threatened with eviction, blackest, denial de-nial of credit and starvation. 'S That a forced dee.mo of the market mar-ket would be imposed. ?o s to wipe out their ho.diuss m a..vk winch they were induced to purchase in years past. Threats to move tho mills and to cose them up indefinitely. That an orcanire-d propaganda for Hi heat ion o! tho American Federation of Labor, spreadir.c rumors that the strike wiil bo delayed nr.d that snvh delay de-lay is only a sell -out. I. V. Y. Makes Headway. ; "vlM Showinc r.o eyres' t '.ei to th.o men Join inn dual orcaTii7-.it iees. As a , result of this proparar.ia. th.o I. W. W. i Is making rapid b.oadway in some of the districts. i "t.n 1 That tb.e real reason for opposi- : tion to orcauized labor r p revn t at icu on 1 1 e.-alf of t -.o men w ho ba e urie ances is tb.at t .e yteel industry is preparu c to cut wr.iics ar.d to low i r tlio Maudards to prewar time and to return a condemn t'lat ncour::.ced tee padiouo ss:en. so pre a lent i n that part ieul : r mens; : y. i "M rre--;d(ii:. de'av is no lomrer possi'cle. We h.a e tr.ee to !ird : wa;e. but cannot. We rerret th.it for the nrst t imo our call upon tc l: i u red la bor ca ii not moot with i :i vora o i e sinr.M1. lieho e us. the fault is not ours. If tie ay were no more than de.av. oo:i at tb.o ,msI of los of membe-h;p m our ornareja t ions, wo wou.d ure lie same to ihe fullest extent of cur a :!ity. notwith-s notwith-s land :; c t h.e men are firm . v s-'t for an lniniedete strike. Lut deh v beie me..ns tie suireiaier of all h.ve Ties stru.o is rot at the e.ili of its ider. but t:: it of tho men imoived. Win or ho. t o strike is ; i ;t- i: a t e and will co'-.'. h uv ur.tii m.dus ; r.al p, ;sei w : li cede f : oni the untiuahle p. ..:on i..v t, cun'ol !v N:r. O rv. 0 iia o ee in jour d. -e to br :;c about a ecu : e;-u . , , .!;, i ope yon w :.l simvr.1 t'-er.e:-.. Wo f.u.y r.n.IM5:ie,i t !:c ha - l :u ! t a t n-r;r- i.o w ; li fol .v 4i!.d l hf ti'icn e f t -T , tb.at unfair tmplowrs will In into. Tee I burden f.il.s up.ei t'-.e ir.cn. b i. the krtat- I r re..pors.c..;; i..e;efor n;.t upon t..o ; o t II 0 r k d e . " Mm JUSTIFY REFUSAL! TD HALT THEIR STRIKEj (Coutiuuod From rage One.) out of jiiriolio oonsMov.'ition to our i.'auso, thov oiiiluri-.l t!' coutiuiuvi suf-foriiijj suf-foriiijj wiilnmt ooss.it ion of thoir labors to tlio ond that iiosp;itisin abroad niijrlit not gain thorcby r.id and oom-fort. oom-fort. GARY'S REFUSAL TO MEET .MEN CITED. ' Immouiaicly a Tier tlio anuist ice : was iVelared, the men insisted upon ' having iheir wrongs rigliloil. They j were rcrsmulecl. however, lo wait until tho Atlantic City convention of tho American Federation of Labor, held" in I .Line, 1910. Following a ivport made J to that convention, Mr. Gomners souglit 1 a conference with Mr. Gary, chairman, of the finance committee of the Vnited , Stales S'.eel corporation, on that sub-! jeet in the hotv of avoiding a grave industrial eonflict. Mr. Gonipers, whose eonslructivo pmriotism is beyond be-yond any question, was denied even the courtesy of a reply. Then, tho men in sis tod upon action, and follow- ; l ing authorization for taking a vote 1 upon a strike, beginning with July -0 ! and ending August -0 this year, ninety-eight ninety-eight per cent of tho men voted for a j strike, I "Following the vote taken a com-I tuittee representing tho crafts invohed went to Air. Gary for tho purpose of obtaining a conference, in tho hope of avoiding tho strike. Air. Gary refused to see the committee or deal with any one of them. FORCED TO APPEAL TO THE PRESIDENT. "The committee, s'.ill desirous of avoiding the conflict, laid the entire matter before tho cxecnlive council of the American Federation of Labor. Mr. GoiajxTS and the executive council endorsed en-dorsed the actions of the men. Nevertheless, Never-theless, in the hope of averting a conflict, con-flict, au appeal was made to your honor. "Mr. itarv, obstinate in his denial to crant relief, caused snch a great unrest as to necessitate callinc a meeting of the presidents of the twenty-tour crafts involved. After a thorough, calm, and deliberate ivview and study of the entire situation, laLing into consideration nil the consequences th.it would naturally flow therefrom, these presidents, tvprcsc.it :m: over t-V tH'O.iH'O orcanired men. endorsed the strike and set September Ii- as the date thereof. The dav was d'teirci to September '-- aaainst the test interests in-terests of the s-nke seie'.v in tl.e here tb.at Mr. Garv and his associate mipht in the meantime t-con:der their position, posi-tion, so r.s to avoid the otherwise in-cvitahlo in-cvitahlo eonflict. "In a rr.oc.irj c.V.lo.t on Septoinber i at Vittf'-niri of the rcere? otitst'a e- of the al'ercf craft for the ,ir?oe cf dev.s-m dev.s-m w.ivs ir.cnis of ron.tm-f.r. the Ttke. your conur.un.eatten. throusa ir. (iom-ocrs. rcvest'.nic ttiat flic itAto cf t:-e strike e iHsloeuo.i. was reooivM. Tvo of eor.siCiera I ion were c;vin to ...live. lv'oryoiie irfsenl des'.re.t. If It were possible, to comply with e-ir re. quel. Your rc'iuest for ros:;.or.eni.'nt oijid have een itl.i.i'v granted pr, it not for the fo'.iOWinj fart: ') Mr. r.ary has ussrrte.t thiit h men need no trained r prcv ntation In tt.etr beha'f In .reer.ti:is their :!ev-nncs. :!ev-nncs. no'.w itlistHr.d.n that t:-ry . an iiffther f-Tlioinlcal . by lack cf means, nor lnt":.::.:itty. 1'v hi.-k cf s.-hoo.-.:.. cone with him or h'.s r. prsen'n : i es, "i2t That. e er s.nce thf r.nvi ptartol to orcaniHe. a s stcr.AIlc p. rscmt ;o-i was Institute 1. beci lining i:h d:sci.A::ie mil end'.ns; witii nmrilr, recaiilnc to us vl". hi- |