Daily Kennebec journal., 1893-08-29
CRITICAL DAYS.
The Auburn Shoe Trouble
Growing Still More Serious.
Manufacturers Evidently Intend to
Hereafter Run Free Shops.
The Fight si the ~ in Maine Bsssssn Capital
and Lahes.

the JouEsaL predicted SATURDAY morning
the shoe trouble has nov taken effect in
the other shops in the city, and there i.
some very fine spsrring for positions.
This morning the cutters ia every shop
IN the Manufacturers Association were
notified that their services were no longer
nee ded after next Saturday.
This is diplomatic rove by the manu-
facturers. II as plain as good big Roman
| nose on a small mans face, that the reason
this trouble has come up at this time is for
tbs purpose Of breaking the uni3n of labor.
As stated 10 the JOCRskL of Saturday the
Pray Small trouble was left in the hands Of
the firm to settle, but when it vas found
that strlke had been ordered for Satur-
day, the Manufacturers Association took
the matter in hand. .
Another elanse in the agreement entert
into by the International Shoe Workers
an the Manufaeturers Associations gives
vI her party to the agreement, who may be-
come dissatisfied with the work, right to
give weeks rotice Of quittal.
II manufacturer should become dissat-
isied with the work of the help he was to
If laborer became dissatisfied with his
work he was to give the manufacturer a
weeks notice.
Therefore when the cutters at the Pray
Small company shop struck Saturday morn
ing 1t vas the signal fof cheekmate move
ment on the part Of the manufacturers. In
the afternoon of Saturday the manufactnr-
ers held a meeting and voted to give notice
to the cutters of the various shops in the
association to quit work next Saturday
night.
The JorRsAL started on. this morning
for the purpose Of probing the matter down
deep and as the matter has reached n criti-
cal luncture there was not much difficulty
in geiiing lot of information. A well
kno~ n labor advocate and a man prominent
in the case in hand said to your reporter
this morning.
II do not know where you got your in
formation for your story last Saturday, but
you got the case down to its finest point
IL is a case of 1--we or die with the union.
The manufacturers have taken this time to
kill us, knowing that they will not have a
like opportunity for years. II is favor
able time for the manufacturers and bard
one for US, but we will live through ii. We
must not break down now. IL IL clearly a
case of live or die, sink or swim with us,
and do not fear but what we will live and
swim"
How about the lasters, do you think
that they will support the international
Shoe Workers in this instanceE' asked the
reporter.
They must You see if the Manufac
turer, Association should succeed in break
ing us, it would not be long before the
lasters. strong as their union is, would go
down. | don't think the citizens of Au-
burn fully realize the gravity OF this
trouble"
Why. What do you mean:
well, | think have said enough
Suppose you lose in this fight:
cit will be the death-blow to labor or
uanization in Maine
Can the International Union hold out
on an all winter tight!"
Yes, | think it can"
This gentleman would say no more but
the reporter found man who was brought
up in shoe factory, as he expressed 1t, and
he was ready TO speak his little piece, pro-
viilng his name would not be used. lie Is
spoken of as good authority on the shoe
question.
"wbat do you think the result of this
trouble will be-" asked the reporter.
We'll, sir, in my candid opinion you are
going 10 see the hardest labor fight this fall
ever known in Maine if the manufacturers
keep up their tactics. You are gong to
see every shop shut down, a crowd of shoe
makers idle on the street, and business
among the merchants will be very dull. ii
i. going to be a hot fight and both manuth-
tur,rs and workmen are going TO hang On
Ike grim death The firms can better
afford to close their shops now than ever
before and | think most of them will be
glad of the opportunity. If the union can
keep scab l,borers ont of the shops il will
Kill the shoe business in Auburn.'
You understand that the manufacturers
have a legal right to discharge the cutters
A. they have. don't you:'
Certainly. They are only exercising
their right. But the whole thing started on
A breach of contract by the manufacturers
and this giving notice to the cutters is out
A continuance of the fight. They say,
practically. hy doing as they have done ;
This ia our opportunity; times are hard +;
lets make the best of 1t. and they are go
ing to, you bet.
suppose the union wins the tsh'' "ha'
tn, u:
There will be no more trouble IN Au-
burns shops for years to come. ms Is TIE
critical period for the union II 1t ives II
d. i'll never be broken.
Suppose there never is a settlement
what them .-.
"Well. now you've hit it, and 1t ia lds'
a. likely to be that way As not. II set
tlernsnt cannot be reached you VIII see the
work of these shops 20 elsew here. Brock
ton. Mass is only waiting for sueh con'h-
non of things here That's ho~ We came
TO have the shops here. Brocston got Il
rronpl. Oh her hands which could not be
..,tled satifsctorily to all concerned, and
the result was. the work came here and
elsewhere. Mind you, SIR. don't say that
this trouble " i'll not he settled satisfactorily
| am only speaking of what might happen
# a settlement is not reached.
Tn. manufacturers have nothing to say
hey ond their alresdy published position,
wnich i. in point of fact that the shoe
makers must come to thir terms.
There is rumpr on the street that al
f,rt,ries will shut down next Ssturi',
,,,h, for two weeks and that at the .xpirs-
r,nn of that time they will start up ssAn
sni suv body that wants to work viii 'e
amployed. The manufacturers have