The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-18
STRIKE SURE TO COME
o'CoNNELL sAYs IT CANNOT BE
 INVERTED.
The Most Trouble is Anticipated in Cincinnati, San Francisco and the North Pacific Cities.
 Address Issued.

6oafo or the National Association of Machinists assembled here this after noon to be prepared for any emergency In connection with the threatened gen. era! strike and also to prepare the re- port to the bienial- convention at To- ronto on June 3. The Board con- sists of representatives from Boston. New York. Chicago, Toronto and Sioux City. They will act in both advisory and judicial capacities during the threatened strike and will be in readi- ness to send out to different cities where executive officers may be needed to manage the local situation. Reports received today announce that all of the firms at Danbury. Conn, and Norfolk, va, have signed the nine hour day agreement.
 President o'coEnell said there was no possibility of averting the general strike.
 From the statements of the Execu- tive Board 1t develops that the most trouble is expected at Cincinnati. San francisco and the North Pacific cities. J. J. Conelly. the Boston representa- tive on the Board, says there will be very little trouble in New England. Hugh Doran of Chicago, says there will be not over 800 men on strike there.
 We have just adjusted the trouble there with the Illinois Central Rail- road" he added. "and uniform rate of 25 cents an hour will be made throughout the system for machinists and an increase of per cent. in wages of all other shop employees"
 AS result of the meeting of the general officers of the Association, the following was made public tonight: TO the Machinists Craft:
 "Greeting-From time immemorial the great goal to which united labor has struggled and to which 1t has given it's best etrort. has been a shorter work ing day. In the majority of crafts both skilled and the so-called un-skill- ed-this effort has been uniformly suc- cessful and they have for a number of years enjoyed the pleasures that come with greater leisure. Mechinists, ow- ing to t5e fact oN their isolation in the past from the labor movement. have not enjoyed this right and have until now, after a decade of education, con- cluded that the time has arrived when they too, should share in the same en . joyments. In reaching this conclusion and in seeking similar favors they know they are not stretching their de- maDds beyond the bounds of reason or seeking something to which they have no valid claim.
 More than quarter of a century ago our brother craftsmen in Great Britain secured a nine hour day and it is conceded by all manufacturing machinists who have given the oues- tion the least study that the American machinist produce more per diem even on an eight hour basis than does his brother craftsman in that country. SllCh heinz ic tt,, proper and strictly in accord with the spirit of the times that the machinists of the United States. Canada and Mexico should make a concerted move- ment in the same direction. The time has come. the moment is ripe and the demand is now, made. To the unin. itiated a few words explanatory of the position the machinists occupy in the domain of produce labor and in confiec- ton with shorter work day may not be out of place. Owing to the peculiar nature of our trade and the great in- roads made into it by the introduction or more perfect machinery, a great deal more is now produced than ever. This increased production continues to in- crease with the succeeding years, but in spite of this no material or perma . nent increase in wages has been se- cured by the man who manipulates the machine. He produces more but re- cetves no more than he did formerly, Now. the demand is made for a fairer share of what we produce, by shorten ing the workday one hour, without any decrease ip pay.
 This demand is not made without due warning. Twelve months ago mo- tice was served on the manufacturers of the United States that on Monday, May 20. 1901, the International Associa- tion of. Machinists would demand a nine hour day and that if the demand was not granted its members and those in sympathy with thme would suspend labor until the demand was granted. We do not advocate a strike with all the attendant mistakes of the past but merely peaceful cessation of labor until we can start work on a nine hour day basis.
 We appeal to our fellow craftsmen to, rally with us in this effort to ele- vate our manhood, to improve our minds. to purify our bodies and our lives; to make of us exemplary citizens, to make our homes more home-like with our presence and to show the world that we. too, have aspirations a little higher than the ,brutes and scarcely lower than the angels"
 The address is signed by the officers of the association and the general board of trustees.