The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-07
mr.. FRIEDER'S
EXPLANATION
He Makes a Statement to the Public
of the Company's Side of the
Strike.

of the Company's Side Of the
Strike.
On Saturday evening Mr.. Marcus
Frieder, superintendent OF the Klots
Throwing company of this city. whose
employees have been on strike for more
than eight weeks, issued "a letter to
the public in reply to one signed by
Organizer Henry Collins and others OF
the United Mine Workers of America.
by request Of Mr.. Frieder we publish
the substance of his communication.
The article in which Mr. Collins and
the other mine workers explain their
sympathy with the silk mill strikers
was published in The Tribune Of last
Friday.
Mr.. Frieder says in his reply:
Referring to the statement made
and signed by Henry Collins and others
in the name Of the local miners unions.
and printed in local and Scranton
papers, demanding justice for the help
employed in the silk MILL wish to
state that its terms, and more especial
ly the methods adopted by above
named organization, are such that
every good citizen having the interest
OF this town at heart should raise his
voice in protest against the already,
and still threatened, harm done, and
j am afraid that years of hard work
on the part of the board Of trade, and
the leading citizens OF the town, who
labor faithfully for the welfare of the
people, will not be able to remedy the
serious damage that may arise there
from.
ITO give the public an idea of the
whole situation, 1 will begin from the
beginning of the trouble:
"On the Sth of November last some
boys employed on the night shift, with
out moments notice and without CIV
Ing any reason, decided to strike for
more pay. 1t not being an unusual
thing, for We all know the habits Of
our youngsters who are employed in
the breaker, and the most Of those
boys change at intervals from one oc-
cupatlon to another. did not pay very
much attention to II, being satisfied
that after one or two days rest and
fun they would soon come back to
work again. We employ in all about
sixty hands on the night shift. One
half of these did come back: the Others
Joyous over the victory OF the miners
decided to stay out until their wages
are increased. AS is natural when such
trouble occurs, some Of the girls
walked out, too. in sympathy with the
boys, but not enough to cause us the
least inconvenience, and we run our
mill as usual.
About month after the trouble be-
gan a delegation of the various local
unions mo Will
meet them and discuss the situation.
j assured them that would be pleased
to give them all the information they
desired. The next evening a delega-
tion OF about ten men, most Of them
very intelligent men. called at my
house. accompanied by several of the
striking boys. They explained their
mission and stated the grievance OF
the help; they questioned the boys In
my presence. and gave them the full
est information / could. After listen
ing TO both sides, they expressed them
serves as being satisfied that the strik-
ers claims and statements We're base
iess' and told the boys in a reprimand-
ing way that they had msrepresented
the matter to them. Although I cam
not remember the exact language used,
remember the plain meaning of what
they said. They advised the strikers
to go back to work, and stated that
they would not sustain them.
This ] thought would be the end OF
the matter. few days after I heard
that some of the miners were urging
the help to stick and keep up the
strike. Again l was asked if / was
willing TO meet some of the union men
who were trying to help to settle the
matter, and l assured them that I
would meet them at any time, and give
them all the information they might
desire. j wish TO add that l then ex-
pected to meet again as intelligent
men as those whom met at first, and
although some of the men did meet
at the second time put sensible and
practical questions to me, the major
ity OF them We're members from the
breaker boys and mule drivers unions.
who did not come with any intention
or furthering settlement, but to show
little notoriety and have some fun.
ITO both delegations I proved that
our help was earning from 10 to 20 per
cent. more than In any other mill of
the same class in that region, and that
this was not on account OF having any
extra advantage over other manufac-
turers. but simply for the reason that
we have piecework system, and every
hand is paid according to his or her
own merit and skill in doing the work.
Our poorest hand in each department
is earning on piecework nearly the top
price received for the same kind of
work in other mills.
4 FIRST OPERATION.
- For instance a poor winder makes
In our mill about s12 per month; a
good winder. II working full time,
makes as much as from s1s to $50 per
month. The pay for good winder in
other mills is s12 per month, and wind
ers with not much experience get only
from $6 10 $40 per month.
's SECOND OPERATION.
1.-The second operation is doubling. A