The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-22

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Tho opening 4 these relief stores is note
worthy event as new feature in strikes in this
riy praei cNl sensible method Of utilizing To
sal. rates for their supplies tho means nj their
command. II Is uy no means Improbable that
II VIII have an important bearing upon the fu-
tuir IL N" NE OF wOrkluglncn. The credit Of
founding these stores is. IN the main. due tothe
energy, anl foresight Of Mr. L. Strqsser and
Mary Helser. the President aud Vice President
AMI ability have been II incalculalle value in
eli 'ouraSinE their fellows and promoting the
success Il their united endeavors.
About fifty employers. firms and individuals.
resisted the strike. OF these. eight or ten have
alrendy acceded To- the demands II the strikers
for an advanced scale Of wages and their tao
tories have given employment To- about 1000
men and women. The strikers are determined
work at wages short IF those demanded.
The founding u the cooperative factory il
the heaviest blow the strikers have struck. Al
were received that warranted the enlargement
~ the force at first employed to. $50. In two
dEays more !, mounted up 70 zoe Now although
uun week. u employs ESQ men ana women.
ana inis number WI in all probability, be
nLcd. and, II employers choose to resist the
strike and keep their factories clos ID or To- EN-
ploy unsSii,cd hands. whose production must
the worNinen cooperntlng in factory ~ their
own ana striving 10 make reputation for their
goods 10y the excellence Of their work must
crowd their former employers to the wall. II
need surprise no one II more Of these CO.
oprrntive factories are very shorty started.
PASSIVE resistance 10 the -trka. Four weeks
a;" they comm oncoi retaiiat0ry measures by
ee ting the families q their former employees
from poor houses they occupied in the tone-
ment iaciories; to the ,present, time they
have turned ont l5lu families and 500 more
Will lie put upon tho sidewalk RS soon MS the
law VIII allow their expulsion. To meet this the
strikers formed a " room committee" who on D..
erge,ically busted themselves in finding now
tor fataf.a tad
wore turned out. and they have thus FAR been
successful in every instance in obtaining for
them boier ararimcnts than they had been oc-
cNlYlhs, M al lower rents.
The omIloyers seemed to get the police on
their side aid M" officers. having their vig!.
lnuw stimulated 1t Is said. hy bundles -
cigars, Wore worry active in driving away the
strikers plckots from the cghhorhood Of the
iciores. oven clubbing an. occasionally Hr.
resting them. But the strikers put out now
pickcts IN place ~ the damaged and captured
ones. employed lawyers to defend their men
cHir 70 aN9id oN,rSlopnn. me bounds Of their
o. iual rights. ANA now. too, the officers II tho
orn'rol S",nr'l,r tf9Posi 20 appeal from thg
learn how far the police may 70.
Thus the strike stands to-day. Il Is by no
mans rnd9 i, though NE supp lsition thtt II IS
may nave been 'reHt'd IN many minds 10y the
strikers JnDNaut demonStrhti on the other day.
Inul irumpnn procession celebrated the i'm
nQrinnt event Oi the founding of factory ~
their own and, heyond that, was intended 20
hav" II mulNi eject IN stimulating the rrsolu-
ton OF tie -trk -. and demonstrating a. thoir
lprmcr employers their force and dctrrmina-
ton. That ms lone good they are well sutis-
feed. But II simply marked one "ptpward a
goal which is yet, POSSIBLY, "A long way m Tho
strikers are Gam ~ their position. They say
tnAt they Will never give in. ana that they nre
able to stand cut for months To come Tho
women among tncm are us enthusiastic in TINT
DETERMINATION "s the men are, ana their inliu-
cnrc Is grrut
Those cgalmakcrs who have found work arc
paving ten per cent OF their earnings ~ help
the Icss forum ttc.