Ottumwa Semi Weekly Courier

STRIKE HANGS ON A HAIR.

Breathless Interest in Forthcoming Action of Officials of Labor.

COMMITTEE WILL DECIDE TODAY.

But Two Men Applied for Work This Morning Which Was the Time Fixed by the Management for Them to Return.

Pittsburg, April 18.--The situation at McKeesport today is quiet, pending the decision of the national advisory board of the Amalgamated association which is in session here, and is expected to decide today whether or not there will be a general strike.

Two Men Only Apply.

Some apprehension was felt when 7 o'clock neared, that being the crucial time set by Manager Cooper on which the men should return to work or consider themselves discharged. But two men applied for work, however, and as they quickly yielded to the persuasion of the strikers, the attempt to resume operations for the time was abandoned.

May Call Out All Union Men.

Previous to the meeting there was a formal discussion of the situation. The trend of sentiment seemed to be that all members of the union in all sheet mills of the United States Steel corporation should be called out, and if that did not have any effect on the company, every union man in every plant controlled by the company should be ordered to join the strike.

Other Trouble.

It is reported that trouble is brewing among the men employed on the McKeesport terminal railroad property of the American Sheet Steel company and the National Tube company. The grievance is one of hours, and it has been referred to a committee of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen.

Settlement Near.

Pittsburg, April 18.--A settlement of the impending great strike of sheet mill workers arising from the trouble at McKeesport now requires the settlement of only the minor details to end the uncertainty which has characterized the last few days in industrial circles. This is expected to be accomplished before nightfall. The settlement, it is said, will be based on a proposition made by John Jarrett, to the labor bureau of the American Sheet Steel company at a conference yesterday. The plan of settlement is that all men, with the exception of George S. Holloway, be re-instated at once. Holloway's case is to be taken up later. The reason for the exception in the case of Holloway is that a personal difficulty between he and Superintendent Smith had put a new feature on his discharge.