The Great Steel Strike and its LessonsFoster, William Z.
History
The Great Steel Strike and its Lessons
Foster, William Z.
Steel Strike, U.S., 1919-1920; United States Steel Corporation
But such an enormous crowd assembled to witness the next street meeting
that McGuire had to agree to permit hall meetings. No sooner were they
attempted however, than he broke his agreement. He would allow no
languages other than English to be spoken--the object being to prevent
the foreign workers from understanding what was going on. Of course all
other organizations in Homestead could use what tongues they pleased.
The unions balked, with the result that more street meetings were held
and Mother Jones, J. G. Brown, R. W. Reilly and J. L. Beaghen were
arrested. Public indignation was intense; thousands marched the streets
in protest; the unions grew like beanstalks. And so the affair went on
till the great strike broke on September 22.
That curse of the campaign since its inception, the lack of resources,
bore down heavily on the work in the crucial summer months just before
the strike. At least one hundred more men should have been put in the
field to take advantage of the unparalleled opportunity. But the
National Committee could not beg, borrow or steal them. The organizers
in the various localities fairly shrieked for help, but in vain.
Especially was the need keenly felt in the big drive on Pittsburgh.
Instead of eight or ten men, which was all that the Flying Squadron
could muster, there ought to have been at least fifty men delegated to
the huge task of capturing the score of hard-baked steel towns on
Pittsburgh's three rivers. The consequence was that the work everywhere
had to be skimped, with disastrous effects later on in the strike. In
those towns where the unions did get started lack of help prevented
their taking full advantage of the situation. And then some towns had to
be passed up altogether, although the men were infected with the general
fever for organization and were calling for organizers. It was
impossible to send any one to either Woodlawn or Midland, both very
important steel towns. Even the strategic city of Duquesne, with its
enormous mills and blast furnaces, could not be started until three
weeks before the strike.
Duquesne is just across the river from McKeesport and only four miles
from Homestead. It gave the organizers a hot reception. Its Mayor, James
S. Crawford, is President of the First National Bank. His brother is
President of the Port Vue Tinplate Company. Besides being Mayor, Mr.
Crawford is city Commissioner, President of the city council, Director
of Public Safety, and Magistrate. He makes the laws, executes them and
punishes the violators. He is a true type of Pennsylvania steel town
petty Kaiser and exercises his manifold powers accordingly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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