187] JURISDICTION 5 5 



came into conflict with the Association in a number of 

 places. 



The Sons of Vulcan met with considerable success for 

 several years although they had few lodges outside of the 

 Pittsburgh and Youngstown districts. It is doubtful if, at 

 any time, they had an active membership of over a thou- 

 sand, although they claimed a much larger number. Inter- 

 nal bickerings and dissension crept into the organization, 

 and the last convention was held in Pittsburgh in 191 3. 

 Since that time, the Amalgamated has been gradually re- 

 covering its lost members.^^ 



Two attempts to form dual unions were initiated during 

 the interval between the conventions of 1912 and 1913. The 

 one was a secessionist movement, originating in the sheet 

 and tin mills of Niles, Ohio. The aim in view was to in- 

 clude in one organization " practically all workmen working 

 in and about said industries, with one single exception — 

 that is, the rollers."^*' The new organization, " The Indus- 

 trial Iron and Steel Workers of America," in a manifesto, 

 declared for direct action as a means of securing justice, 

 and began the campaign by walking out of the Empire plant 

 at Niles. The cooperation of the union and the employers 

 prevented this insurgent movement from gaining any appre- 

 ciable vogue. 



The other disturbance was avowedly a movement within 

 the parent organization, and not a secession from it. It 

 was styled " The Progressive Movement of the Amalga- 

 mated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers." It 

 was an attempt to place the control of the Association in the 

 hands of a democratic minority, who sought to reorganize 

 the union on an industrial basis. The Progressives also 

 advocated the extended use of the initiative and referen- 

 dum, and the right of recall. These innovations have since 

 been introduced, and after their adoption, the movement 

 lost its purpose. 



*» Proceedings, 1915, p. 10993. 



5" The roller, bciiiR the highest-priced workman, was naturally the 

 object of envy of other workmen. 



