Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-17
FOR JUST 25 DAYS
The Local Machinists Have Been
 Waiting and Watching.
FREDERICK E. CROSS EXPLAINS

1 Manufacturers Will Not Grant Nine Hour Sixty six Men Have Already Left Town and the | Pay Roll is Decreasing, There was no change in the strike l situation to-day at noon. Nor was
 any expected. The headquarters of the strikers was crowded at the usual
 hour for roll call, indicating that all
 men who had not procured work else-
 where had not returned to their old l jobs.
 An impression is gaining ground among the men that the principal ob- stacle to their being granted by the ! manufacturers what they have re- quested is that if they granted a nine- hour day to the machinists they would eventually be compelled to give the same to the other shop trades. Such | reason for the manufacturers stand, if such is their stand, the men say, is only reasonable. For the other shop
 trades, which are more strongly orr ganized than are the machinists, would demand like treatment and upon more reasonable grounds. The first ofethese and the most important, they say, would be this: That if the buffers and polishers, for instance, would work harder and therefore turn out as much work in nine hours as they do now in ten, there would be no reason why they should not be given a work day of nine hours. To do so would mean large saving for the manufactures in <Ncf <>f fe. alxYf we'll as light, besides the wear and tear on machinery.
 If the manufacturer could afford to give the nine hour workday to the machinists who do not work by the piece, and therefore cannot do the
 work in nine hours that they do now in ten, no matter how hard they might
 work, surely, say the men, it could be
 granted to the trades who work by
 the piece and, by employing additional
 muscular force accomplish in nine
 hours what they do now in ten. The nine hour day is the principle of the strike, the main issue. The ma- chinists wish to be the pioneer organi- zation in the movement to establish 1t; the manufacturers are apparently sde termined to fight it, and, unless a rau- ical change of mind takes place in tho local lodge of the machinists, the ma-f chinists will win.
 This morning MT Cross of the firm of Cross &5 Speirs was, accosted by. q re7 f porter at the entrance to rtlie strikers headquarters and was asked why he did not grant the nine hour day to the men who were employed by him. "Why, we have" said he. "Our offer reads 54 hours straight work,
 but the men can settle that point be- tween them if they go to works''
 A few of the strikers who were
 standing by at the time were told what
 MT Cross had /said and they passed
 along looking as though they knew
 what and how the offer read as well
 as MT Cross did.
 MT Cross said his factory was well
 watched this morning and that none of his men returned to work &de
 seemed to have undergone q change in disposition since the early part of
 last week; before he had opened nego- tiations with the men. Then he was apparently in good humor-rto-day he appeared as though he were irritated-
 As this city is more affected by the strike in it's general brass goods manu- featuring industries than any other city. the employers of help in these concerns by yielding to the machinists would practically establish nine hour day in this state at all events, for if the impression of the machin- ists is correct, their strike, upon being settled, would be followed immediate ly by another of some shop trade.
 The Cross & Speirs shop was doubly picketed this morning. 1t was taken for granted that MT Cross expected the men, or some of them, had accept ed his terms laid down last week after a series of conferences and to offset the report that was current to that effect, the extra pickets were put on duty. However, not man reported for work and those who were employ ed there say they will not return un- less the terms they offered MT Cross last week are accepted.
 Gradually the local pay roll is de- creasing. About 66 men have already left town, and to-day 20 left in a batch for Hartford, making S6 all told The above shows only the number of men who have applied for travelling cards. It is calculated that about one-third that number have gone without asking for cards, as there is no trouble in get ting them after procuring employment elsewhere.
 Fred B. Cross of the firm of Cross lS Speirs claims an error was made a few days ago in reference to the num- Der of men and apprentices that were employed in that factory. He says, not counting the draftsmen, pattern- makers, engineer and helpers who are at work there are 16 journeymen and 16 aprentices out. Four of the ap- prentices are about to become jour neymen.. We have recently put on four apprentices to take the slaces of those who are nearly out of their time That will make 20 iourneymen to F apprentices, the proportion we usually have"
 Tomorrow evening the machinists will he addressed by M. F. Landers of Hartford and President Sullivan of the Clerks association and of the state federation of labor. The address is for machinists only. and all are re- ouested to be present. The topic of the addresses will be the strike situa- tion and how it was adjusted in the capital city.
 NIACHINISTS RETURN.
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