Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-11

moved the hunks and bedding into the factory where place had been made ready to receive them and the men fell upon them to sleep immediately they were laid on the floor. They did not wait for bed clothes and were indif- ferent to removing their shoes or cloth- ing. Morning dawned before quiet be- gan to prevail
 Deputies Rametti, Rigney and MT Lunny speak, in good terms of the strikers. They say they behaved very well, doing nothing but hooting or laughing.
 MT Editor:
 Kindly allow me space in your paper to attempt to correct what seems to be a generally prevailing idea not only with the people but with our local press. Namely: '"rhat the contending parties in the present strike desire or are willing to injure the well being cf this our city, especially its business iE- tcrests." Now I contend that any one wllo presents this idea to the public as fact either IS misinformed or willfully misrepresents existing conditions. First let us look at it from the manufactur- CTS standpoint. His investments, busi- ness, income, home, social circle and interests are all centered here No matter how narrow man may be lie seldom willingly does anything that will injure himself. Anything that is detrimental to the general public must be detrimental to the individual. There fore the general welfare is identical with the employers interests and I think will be safe with him. But the idea seems to be applied to him be- cause he does not hasten to settle the strike. Now, unfortunately for him trade-unionism is either a new or re- motely viewed thing with him up to this time. His business is such in many in- stances as he has been perfecting for the better part of a lifetime, and shall he be censured if he is cautious in ac. cepting ideas that will in a measure ne- cessitate the reconstruction of his meth ods and business? I think not Still, on the other hand the fact that equally acute business men in our neighboring cities have accepted the new conditions and are working in harmony with their employees, should assure him that
 
 trade-unionism is here to stay in some form or other and can be successfully managed by the up-to-date business man.
 Are the 500 union machinists and tool makers here attempting to injure the best interests of the city? What they asked of their employers was pre- sented in an agreement to nearly every manufacturer in the country at about the same time, ample time having been given before May 20 to consider the items. The principal one being the privilege of working nine hours each work day with an addition of pay suf- hcient to make workman's pay for a full week (54 hours) about the same as it was previous to May 20 for 50 hours. Now had this request been presented to and asked at only one shop in a city or in only one city in a state it must manifestly have been an injury to all concerned because of the probability of outside competition injuring local business. But if all accept like condi- tions all are affected in like manner. hence no injustice to any.
 The agreement as presented here was positively refused by all employers in our city except four or five and qualf- lied by these except one. Therefore the men were forced to use the only argu- ment allowed-to walk out Was that act trying to injure our city or its busi- ness? Let us see. A man using an hour more each day to better himself by study, recreation or rest preparatory for next days work is a better man for his employer, for his family and for the public. Who betters his own con- dition, betters the condition of all. Hence the man who walked out in an honest attempt to better his own con- dition is also trying to benefit the pub- lie generally and cannot be successfully accused of trying to injure it. The men who are out do not wish to deadlock business or cause any disturbance of any kind, nor have they any wish to work spite on any one. They deny most emphatically, that they are at tempting the dog in the manager act. Their proposition, the agreement, has been refused time and again nor have the employers attempted any substitute embodying the nine hour day. If the A9- 1S oO OOAQAlOQS WHY QO nOC the employers get together and formu- late an agreement that all can meet on | and have the matter settled During the three weeks the men have been out they have most certainly proven by their department, many times under the most exasperating circumstances. that they are we'll worthy of the re- spect and confidence they have hereto fore enjoyed at the hands of their en- ployers and the public at large. The manufacturers should be willing and not ashamed to meet them half way in a settlement. And that, too, before many of them find work and homes in other cities where concessions have been made and where in future the busy wheels will turn in prosperity alike to employer and employe.
 PROGRESS.
 President Flynn of the Mouiders' union is expected in town this after noon or tomorrow morning to inquire into the strike of the moulders at Mat thews & Willard factory A letter was received from MT Flynn to-day to this I effect