Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-08-13
THE GREAT sTETL STRIKE.

Friday right President Gompers Of
the a merican Federation Labor, the
largest labor organization ever known
10 the country, after tSo-da,s' con-
ference. issued a formal stateu ent
specifically pledging the federation to
the moral and financial support OF the
4 mnlgamgted association. lie says
that after a thorough Investigation
I'VE unhesitatingly declare our ludg
ment that the position OF the Anal
ganate1 association Is Absolutely
justified and essential to its coEtin'
u.nce and effectiveness as union OF
the. workers 10 the trade, a. VOL he
the protector Of the rights and inter-
es's Ct its members. He says the
point al i5sue is the refusal OF the
trust to copcede the demand of the
association that the union scale should
apply to these mills only in which the
members Of the Amalgamated asso-
ciation are employed; in other words,
which are we'll known to be union
mills. The trust on the contrary
insisted that the scale should apply
only to those mills which were union
last year, even refusing to allow tso
mills to be included, which, ty
species of hectoring aod Systematic
opposition of the company, had be
come non.unioG during the year. d,
The first demand of the association
wss that thu old seal. should apply
throughout TIE jurisdiction Of the
company and this, Mr. Gompers says,
was con- mendable. or the obvious
re ,son that al employer should he
willing TO pay Uniform wage to men
who perform like work but realizing
that demand fer those whom i. did
not fully represent would be weak,
the .Amslgauatei association modi. |
fed it's demand to the extent already
stated. >
Explaining what the refusal of the |
second demand means, Mr. Gompers
continues:
1T appears that the company took |
the position it did with an avowal
that it would not allow the extension |
Of the union TO non unlonists. Such |
q position and avowa' are tantamOunt
to declaring that, notwiths tanding |
the growth of the craft, the orgsniza-
ton had reached status beyond |
which it could not extend.
Now, any one at all familiar with |
the Industrial development and eco
COMIC organization is eqaully aware
Df that organized labor advances, or
never stands still. It, there
fore, follows that if the trust by its
growth OF the Am algamated sssocia-
ton, it encompasses its disintegratioD
md destruction. The only power then
standing between the trust and
works as a protector are the tender
nercles of its directors.
Against such calamity the sense of
ustice and humanity revolt and
against which we solemnly protest.
I'VE shall stand by the Amalgamat
ID association in the present conflict
% the foil extent of our owner, both
morally and financially; We shall aid
n every lawful way the men on strike.
n who may come ont on strike, to
the workers in their right
o organize and the extension of
heir organization, so that the only
lower which stands for their protec-
ion and advancement against tue
,yarice of concentrated wealth may be |
effected -
The company met this development
With an order for dismantling of one
t their principal mills the Devices /
Wood plant at McKeesport, Pa, and /
he removal Of its machinery to an-
Their locality. This step is taken a
ecause of the local hostility to the |
rust, tbs mayor of the city having :
peuly expressed sympathy fer the !
trisers and de:lsred an intention to !
yercise full authority unCer pscu- t
Jar law of Penns, lvsnis, which EN- !
overs local chief executive to con. \
tit strangers to the workhouse for e
ne year on his own discretion ard c
uthority when be is satisfied that
hey are of a suspicious character.
his would enable him to dispose Of ).
on union men as fast as the trust i
rought them TO Mckeesport. II
The dismantling of the Devices Il
food mill must prove hard blow 2
,r the town, since it employed from .
DO to l20G men and has been large :
art of the life of the place for nearly
years There is another trust mill
seated there which becomes involved +
j the more extended strike to begin a
nder the order of the Amalgamated a
ffcials, ard this u i'll must slso ap.
arently be abandoned or removed. p