Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-01-22
THE NAILERs' STRIKE
In New EngIard as Viewed by One
of Them.
EVIDENCE OF INJUSTICE IN THE CUT,
One Of the Best Conducted Strikes Ever
Known, DEVOID Alike Of Noise
ard Blus.er but Confident
and Determined.

Sptcidl Correspondence OF the Register.
WAREHAA, January %, ls4.-There is
model strike in the common wealth OF Mas
sachusetts. Whatever may be said OF the
wisdom or foolishness Of the CONCLUSION
which the nailers Of southeastern Massa-
chusetts have arrived at there can be but
one opinion OF the methods by which their
so-called strike is being prosecuted. Any
one entertaining the conventional idea oil
strike, with its boisterous demonstrations
overt terrorism and general turbulence,
would be completely disconnected in at
tempting to diagnose the situation in Ware
ham and the other centres OF the present
protest against wage reduction. There Is
no room in this situation fer the sensa'
tional newspaper man, and there isn't the
shadow OF disturbance, nor the echo OF a
sensation. The writer has come to Ware
ham, and has visited three villages where
nails are made; he has been hunting tor
strike, but has failed entirely 70. ana any.
thing which TALES with
1Ee General Conception Of That War
between labor and capital which cutmin'
ates in the hostile array known as strike.
Never was q quieter village entered thah
that of fremont the seat OF the largest
nail factory in New EaS!and. The same
order and quiet prevail in the ether places
visited. No loating, no threatening, no
demonstration Of any sort no coercion in
any direction. The nrst impression the
observer gets OF the situation is that the
strike is pretense a farce, for he sees
none Of the concprnitsn,s Of a genuine
labor protest or wage AZ 2..on. .. .e 10
soon undeceved, for the moderate, COO
snd undemonstrstive nailers who are en-
CINE erine this movement are dead in earn
est, and onfdent in the justice OF their
position. Your correspondent, without
expressing any opinion upon the merits o.
the issue now raised between the mann
facturefs and the naiIers, proposes to i've
the latter's side OF the case, as stated by
themselves. II all strikes were CONDUCTED
as IS this one, public sympathy would
without doubt be enlisted on the side OF
the employe to an extent that would
amount to
A Tremendous Pressure
upon capital, or, stating 1t in another way
and in seeming paradox, il all strikes were
managed like this one, there would ba no
strike for restless spirits to engineer. The
agitator is conspicuously absent from the
reld Of conflict, and there is no apparent
hunting up of issues, const quently the
minimum OF friction is enjoyed, and very
little, ii any, irritation gsndered. The
TACT is, nobody seems inclined TO create
tirst.c sss quarrel and neither side is thrust
ing sharp sticks into the side OF the other.
Your correspondent has been unable 10
discover any personal bitterness in the
hearts OF the strikers towards their EN-.
plcyers. That su3h bitterness does eHls'
among the more ignorant grades of the
workmen now out may not be denied
hat your correspondent has not consulted
lhe ignorant, but the intelligent strikers
The position is this There is a most i'm.
portant Question TO be settled, and we
don't see any other way Of settling IT," II
must be conceded that the labor problem
is presented in fresh aspects, is receiving
new treatment, and,
Demands Serious Considerations.
as It is nfolded by the nailers Of Ware
ham and vicinity. | have been into tn"
homes of the strikers, and they are homes.
The strikers are not nomadics; they are nDl
of a e.bss which can ride out OF town on |
the hobby Of strike and pitch their tent |
in q Lew industrial camp, ready to emI
crate d. ain on the wave OF the next ~ |
ItatiOa. The statements whiSh have ap- |
peared in some OF the papers that larSs
Of the nGiiers would seek EN-
ploynent elsewhere, if the strike did not
speedily end, is the sheerest oneense. Few,
il any, will leave, and they are mostly ahe
TO wait two, four or six months for an al
iustnent Of the present difficulties. ! an
nfoYmed that there will be buS little suf
feripg. even il the inactivity should be
long protracted. although there is no union
" III assessments and fund dispensing; in
short, no strike machine by which the con
troyersy is TO be maintained. There has
been po coercion, and every striking mailer
his individuality, struck OF hi
Dun sr' e will, and will not he disturbed II
u, ~ to return 10 his work at the re-
.'r". .r. This is a situation phenomenal
= story Of strikes. ! have suoken
l.S- r.t!lers' homes. There nave founG |
The most refining influences and tokens o
The best New England life. The
Leaders OF the strike
are not foreigners, Communists or even
radicals.
I'VE want TO see our employers prosper;
We take a prde in the success Of the bIs'-
ness, and we want nothing but what i
right | consider that there are two parties
in this contract. They OVID the mills ana
We own tie labor. II they mt want US
at our price they have a perfect right 10
hire s6msbod else if they can. We ar'
here, al j We are going to stay, and II ~
don't have work in tie mills we can d,
something else. Already a good NUN De-
OF our men are ont cbOpping wood, snn |
most Oi them will pick up something to
If this thing goes on. am convinced thai
the manufacturers will start up as soon a.
II is for their interest 10 DO so, and We are
willing 10 wait
This is 90 sand lots definition Of q labor
or's 10, ition, but is the precise statement
NJ a leader in the present nail makers pro
I. ST sgeirst the recent cut-down. Your
found a level headedness in
regsrd 10 economic questions which doe
not indicate an imprsCtIcabIe view OF thr
situation. A wife OF one Of the nailers, in
Commenting L pom the situatiou
Of some OF the strikers families, said OF
their heads: II sometimes think that the
more they have the more they spend; and,
really, a great many OF them get on M
better with high wages than With Low. ET-
.Iavaeance huTts them more than Low
wages. and some OF them will get OF a.
we'll with IL q day as With more. It's
good deal in the Wsy a family manages. ! |
sometimes say TO my husband that We
should lay up jest Is much On 81 as on =
a day"
will there. in your Judgment be mrsh
suffering here in consequence OF the
strike
"In some families with large u n her Of
chiICr,n, who's parents are determined to
dress them inst ss well as those wso ar
better off. there msy be- but othe'Ti.G !
mink not
"Are The children o: the nailers enoio! |
ed iG the millsT'
THE Irish and o:her foreigner, pu: !
their boys into tie mills as 'fesders some, |
bul the Americans do not"
This conversation is introduced here, not !
as an argument for or against the strike. |
but simply TO show the spirIt OF those who |
are now prominect in the Industrial agita. |
lions OF the country. From the strikers Il |
in gathered that 10th sides are combined.
For Their Own Interest.
The manufactures meet semisnnually, |
snd in December determined on the redoc- |
tion Of nominaJly IS per cent, bot really |
Il little more than Il per cent, on the |
crescent pay. Tie reduction 10 calculated |
by the man ufscturers on the ticket schs4- |