The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-08-24
ARMY OF IDLE WORKMEN
The State Board Of Arbitration Is
At New Bedford.
AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE WAS
HELD LAST NIGHT,

At Which the Board of Arbitration, the
Mayor, the Strikers, and Representa-
tive of the Mills Discussed the Situation
AT the Close 1t Looked As If the Strike
Might Be Settled BY Arbitration.
New Bedford, August 23-The State Board
of Arbitration had kusy afternoon and
during the afternoon Chairman Walcott
agreed to meet thesboard here tonight. Mr..
Barry this morning put in long time with
the spinners, who pretty thoroughly placed
their conditions before him. Meanwhile
Mr.. Warner was with Mayor Brownwell and
learned that oficials's views. The party ad-
journed to the Parker house where the
mayor played host. Mr.. Warner after dinner
tried to find some mill managers, but every
one was at dinner. As n ear as l can find
out, said he, with smile, the mill men
are out of town. I suspect they are not in
clined to be seen by any one. especially by
reporters and state arbitrators. Everywhere
am told they are out of town or at dinner.
can't seem to find them OF learn of any
one VINO can. l fiLd they are all non-com-
lulbtdls NdIAcI LuOukut lilo lllll iilttn-
agers' attitude, if they are trying to escape
a confer ence. was not at all proper. Said
he...rif they don't show some inclination to
be fair with the board of arbitration the
Loard will get up a big public meeting in
New Bedford and see if they can't be made
to tell something. Remember we have the
right to subpoena witnesses to a public
hearing even though we don't like to resort
to such a measure. l don't see any reason
why. If these millmen are not willing to let
thespublic know their position In reason
able way, the same as the labor men do,
they should not be placed on record as the
ones who have instigat-d all this trouble
Mr.. Barry met the card and picker help
union executive committee in Spinners'
hall this afternoon and ascertained their
views. He was unable to find Secretary
Hart of the weaveIs. 1t is given out this
afternoon that the COLUMBIA and Bennett
mills will start up Monday NOR ming under a
reduction, providing the operatives will
accept the proposition The hope Of officials
is that a large number of Juvenile and
female help will report for work.
This statement, if true, will cause lots of
trouble around these mills Monday morning.
If the managers try 10 carry out this plan
and any help attempt to go back to work
under the reduction, there will be riot
These mill operatives are ordinarily quiet,
we'll disposed citizens. When ttey think
they are being imposed upon it takes but
very little to start a general distuI bance.
Secretary Ross Of the spinners', was asked
this afternoon what effect the lockout in
Fall River would have on the strike. He e.
piled he did not think it would cause any
alarm on the part Of operatives in this city.
for, as he looked at the situation the lock-
out will be for only short time, perha ps
not over two weeks. The help there, he
said, consented to work on the new
schedule. That is all the manufactul ers
asked Of them. Here we are making fight
on the proposed reduction. A south end
mill superintendent, in an interview, said,
the help would doubtless feel differently
when the weeks went by without
any wages. He said he would pay off Satur-
day and then the employees will get no more
money. He said he would pay off the help
for what is on the machines. Another
superintendent interpreted the statement
that the mills would stop for some time and
then start up on a reduction, to mean ii
would be another reduction on top of that
now at issue, when mills resumed work. He
is of the opinion if the weayers are going to
make matter of particular an issue they will
never we ave again in these mills, for the
manufacturers will never give them par
tIculars. He did not believe the law would
ever allow them, to be SO compelled. He
said the present difficulty from the manu-
facturers' standpoint WAS with the spinners,
not being on account of the strike
or the vacation of the weavers The iron