Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-10-31
sTALWART WoRKMEN,
Who Miil Not Be Moulded % Clay
In the Potters' haSds.
The Knightsof labor and the East Liver.
pool Strike-Mastef Workman RaRkia
Reviews the Trouble From the
Operatives Standpoint.
THE MEN PROPOSE TO Fight IT OUT.


Of Labor, was interviewed to-day in refer
ence to q statement of the potters' troubles
at East Liverpool, printed here yesterday.
He said: THE Knights At East Liverpool.
who organized in April, instead OF June.
continued to work quietly, ~ though
nothing had happened, until the boss pot.
ters found il out. They Immediately ma 10
boasts that they had defeated two previous
attempts on the part Of the men to organ.
ize, and the way to do It again was to alp
it in the bud They accordingly began at
once to post notices, not In the establ ish.
ment OF Knowles, Taylor q Knowles alone.
as stated in the article referred TO. but il
all the white wa-e potteries in Liverpool.
eight in number. The notices
warned tho Men
to leave the order or give up their places.
The men refused to abandon the order and
three shops were shut down on the l6th
day OF June, the day before the labor pA-
rade in this city. IL Was not Q strike On
the part Of the men, but on the part Of the
bosses. They practically drove the work.
men out Of the shops because they would
not sacrifice their principles. The next
step was to propose an individual contract
for the men to sign. II was for the same
outside parties should Interfere betweea
employer and employees, and Il required
two weeks notice from either party before
il could be broken. The men refused v
Ggn such an agreement because they did
not deem it Necessary. went down and
Advised Them 20 sign.
They discussed the matter thoroughly In
their local assemblies and finally agreed
to sign. The bosses construed the decision
into privilege extended to them by the
Knights, and after urging the articles OF
agreement on these grounds, refused 70
allow the men to sign"
Mr.. Rankin endorses the published In.
terview with Mr.. J. II. Shenton, q promi-
nent Knight Of Labor in East Liverpool.
Mr.. Shenton says:
I'VE are perfectly satisfied with our
wages and ask only the right TO organize, Q
right which our employers have long. en-.
joyed. Our fight is one for principle aud
the citizens OF the place sympathixe with
us, knowing that We are In the right. We
have offered every honorable concessions,
only to be met with rebuff and contempt
from our former employers. We hsYe
Offered to meet them in public meeting
and there
Leave Our Case In the Hands ~ ths
Citisens,
We agreeing to return to work Mt their
terms, in case two-thirds vote OF the pop
ulace did not declare Us 10 be right. This
was refused; the only answer OF the bosses
being that they would not deal with any
labor organization. How We will come out
no one can foretcll; but OF this much ws
are assured We are engaged In no fight got
ten up in haste and continued In anger, but
il is a struggle for the liberty which our
common law accords TO workingnien, that
is the right of organization 10 protect our
own business
IL Sec" continued Mr.. Rankin. chat
Mr.. Knowles is quoted in this article -
East Liverpool. lie says he construed thst
actas
10 the manufacturers who wear silk tiles:
What an argument for the Justification OF
an act which drove hundreds from work.
saw the procession, but did not see any 'otd
hat on stick, as Sir. knowles termed u
i'm speaking TO me personally Of the Affair.
/ defied him 10 bring his proofs In the
matter and he utterly failed. afterwaru
learned that some small boys had been
playipg with hat on stick. IL was only
a prete1t for backing down from their oWn
propositions
"As near as have been able TO estimate,
think about four hundred men quit
work rather than sign away their rights.
Some are now working In the yellow ware
potteries, some have gone to other clues,
and only about one hundred and fifty arc
left without work. In treating with the
pOtters
We Did Not DemasA.
as published, the discharge OF all non-un-
ion men. The potters, on the other hanA,
urged that they did not want outsiders 70
run their business, referring toa .carPeu'
tiers committee and that man Rankin,
from Pittsburgh We offered TO obviats
the necessity for AL this by prom
Using to have all .difhculuss al
where The trouble occurred. But they did
not want any committees at oil. IL SEEMS
unreasonable for them to ask our men 10
disorganize when they are organised. When
a msn il discharged from any pottery be.
longing 10 the association Of pottsrs, he will
not he hired by any other potter unless he
has n note from the man who discharges
him. That Is what call boycotting labor.
have objected 20 boycotting the pottsrs
ali along. II has not yet been done. Tho
work will be undertaken soon, however,
and AS the potters have boyo0tted Az
labor organizations, oil labor organixs'
"'" Will Boycott Then.
In Chicago, Cincinnati. st. Louis and other
large western cities they have trades ~,
sembIy, Il Is composed OF delegates from
ali labor organizations. When one b0ycotts
ali do. They have the addresses Of every
local assembly Of organized labor In The
Uuited States and every assembly 10 nou'
fed. The boast OF the potters that they
would furnish the cards TO US 10 boycott
them, 10 idle braggadocia and does not rep
resent their feelings.
"Tbcy saw that our men have only re-
c.iyed thus fartIi from the order 70 support
them. II IL false. They have not received
enough yet, but We can give them ample
support from this time and we mean v
do 20. There we're n few men who vsn'
back to work who bad joined the Knights
but they have all come out again and
brought out host OF new members viii
them. The manufacturers say that time
are dull and that they can
| supply the Trade With TheiS RSeses'
YSres.
| made a tour OF the Dealers 10 -
| Liverpool pottery In the two cities JESTER
| dsy. and they told me that hey could no
get spy orders filled and are In great nee,
Of stock. They are beginning 70 use 20
| cooperative ware which this PRINT toda!
! avs has never been marketed. One OF th
dealers told me that the firm Of knowle.
| Taylor 4 Knowles we're Offering TO sel
their wares Is per cent lower than assoeii
tion prices, and Knowles, Taylor
Knowles 10 the principal 6rm In the ss,f
cistion, and helped to set ths prizes which
it is charged. they underssh On the siy.
"Mr. Brunt, one Of ths lostsfs. - not
building q fine residencs. He sas oroere
that no part OF the work shall be done D
Knights Of Labor. Wish much trouble
bs. got eyery thing done bot the PLUMBING
and thus fts be has not been able 70 Get h'
gs, fixturss or water pipes pot in pisc'
Every person In East Liverpool 10 In iavo
| OF the f,Tn in their contest Tor their rish.
and we are satis6sd. That b oil have
| ,ay abspt the situation t0-pight.'
Ona St1S - ths 0asassSeo.
pu7ssuEsS, Pa. October 0,-Ths stril
Of the East Liverpool, Ohio, potters. vhtc
vss ipsueursted over i've months ago n
| become Only Q strike In name. VI the u
| men Who quit work when their emPioyc
| notified them that any who JOINED. Y
Kniahts Of Labor would Be dischssB'd. q
but $50 have either returned 70 work
left The toxn. OF the eight potteIie' d