l62 ASSOCIATION OF IRON, STEEL AND TIN WORKERS [^294 



for all the mills belonging to the several companies, union 

 and non-union alike.*^^ The United States Steel Corpora- 

 tion accepted the challenge of " all or none," and, in the 

 strike that followed, the Amalgamated was badly beaten. 

 The union miscalculated its strength, and exaggerated the 

 probable effect of the strike upon the stock exchange. 

 There was little public interest, no panic in the money mar- 

 ket, and the strike failed. It was not a strike for wages 

 in the present, but avowedly one to compel complete recog- 

 nition of the union, so as to influences wages in the future. 

 With the failure of the steel strike, unionism was com- 

 pletely driven from the steel trade, the only steel mills which 

 remained union being the few scattered shops of the Re- 

 public Iron and Steel Company and several small individual 

 establishments. In 1909 the policy of the "open shop" in 

 all mills was put into effect by the United States Steel Cor- 

 poration. The union made a desperate fight, but was un- 

 able to secure any concessions. 



83 VVhen consolidation became the order of the day in 1900, the 

 union added this provision to its constitution : " Should one mill in 

 a combine or trust have a difficulty, all mills in said combine or trust 

 shall cease work until such grievance is settled." 



