Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-18
BATTLE IN NEW EN-.
GLAND BEGUN YESTERDAY.
MANY COTTON MILLS IDLE.
NEW BEDFORD, MASS, IS THE GEN.
TER OF INTEREST.
There the Test of Strength and En-.
durnnce VIII Come-Everythinx
Came to Pass just as Wa.
Expected-Apprehens
for the Future.

Boston. Jan. 1.-THE fight between en-
ployer and employe in the New England
cotton mills Is on, and what it will lead up
to cannot be foretold. The great corpera-
tions in New Bedford are silent, and thou
sands of operatives are idle, while here and
there discomfort cropped out all day. the
most serious being at Biddeford. Me-. where
3.aO0 persons refused to work, thus closing
two mills. and at Lewiston. where one mill
was crippled by 400 weavers staying out
The general wage reduction is estimated
to effect 1e1,OO0 persons in about 80 mills.
although these mills have previously adopt
ed the new schedule, and several others
have given notice of immediate reductions.
Here and there dissatisfaction was brought
to the notice of agents and oyerseers over
minor grievances, and in most cases these
We're either remedied or an inquiry prom
ised. "A
Tonight finds the textile operatives
everywhere intently interested in the New
Bedford struggle, for here the test OF
strength and endurance will come. and up
on the outcome will depend the question
Of an Industrial battle the entire length
and breadth of the New England states.
The chief point in this battle will be dis
ctpline. and the first command Of organ
lied labor brought well nigh perfect obedi-
ence. The day passed quite peacefully. but
the incident is in some quarters feared as
a forerunner Of the odds the strikers will
take II driven to desperation.
From the point OF view OF the mill own
er. the New Bedford situation Is now a
lockout. Intervention by the state board
OF arbitration this week is hardly likely
to be allowed and no overt act on the
part Of the strikers and no attempt to
open mill Is expected for a number Of
days.
The New Bedford strikers will receive
strike money from operatives elsewhere.
but the sum total will be reserved until a
protracted battle brings on want and hard
lieve.
All the New Bedford mills opened at bell
lights went out, speed stopped. overseers
and second-hands prepared to make every
definitely. The labor unions did little work
paign. which viii be developed only as
work.
OF the other strikes. little has developed
in them as yet to forecast the future. The
Laconia and Pepperell mill workers In Bid
deford struck because they were anxious
to, while the weavers in the Androscoggan
mill, Lewiston, simply took matters into
partments. These two strikes. while on
Identical issues, will serve only as minor
fights along the line unless ST the si strike fever
general fight in Maine cities.
One other minor fight now on Is that at
City mills shut down Indefinitely because
the operatives refused point blank to ac-
cept the reduction. This trouble, however,
began a number Of days ago, but reached
the acute stage to-day.
Taking the days events throughout New
England, 1t may conservatively be said that
things came to pass just as expected. 1t
is the immediate future which awakens ap-
prehensions.
On January 8, the reduction took effect
In mills employing about 5000 hands. The
reduction to-day affected the cotton mills
of Maine. Rhode Island, Connecticut. the
mills of New Bedford, Lowell and large
number of smaller places In this state and
New Hampshire. The Atlantic and Pa
cific corporation Of Lawrence and probably
the other cotton mills there and in one
or two places elsewhere will make cut
next Monday. The cut amounts to about
10 per cent in many places. but in sew
erai centers it Is II 10 per cent and even
higher. while in few small mills 1t Is
cnly about per cent.
The New Bedford strikers will be sup
ported financially by the operatives in 9TH
er centers, and it Is said they are prepared
to hold out until spring. The national or
ganization of textile unions has also voted
to support the New Bedford strike.
1t is estimated that the reduction means
a loss of between SIS. 900 and $4,000 a week
to the wage-earners in the six states and
the additional loss to strikers in the vari-
Gus centers, II they remain Idle even for
a short time, will swell this amount to a
much larger figure.