Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-19
TALK TO STRIKERS
Two Addresses Delivered at Murray Hall Last Evening.
SENATOR KENNEDY A SPEAKER

Some Good AQFlce GlNeN IO tue NhSn
 Who are Making the Tight For 3
 Nine Hour Day-The Question of
 Paying Discounts to Foremen-No
 Signs of a Settlement of the Strike
 Alarm Felt at the Exodus of Many
 Skilled Workmen*
 The members of the Machinists' as sociation in this city listened last even ing to two addresses of nature that gave them increased hope that victory in their strike for reforms, the nine hour work day with ten hours pay, etc, will inevitably be theirs. The speakers were W. P. Landers of Hartford, one of tue vice presidents of the Interna- tional Association of Machinists and Senator Kennedy of Naugatuck. The hall was crowded, and almost every member of the local lodge was pres ent. The meeting was for members only, though nothing was said that would prevent outsiders from attend ing. The only objection to their pres ence it was said, was the size of the hall.
 Mir Landers was the first speaker. The main topic of his remarks was the management of the strike in Hart ford. Various reports have been in cir culatfon regarding the settlement of the strike there. Many of the local manufacturers do not believe, at least they say so, that the men were not given what they claim they were and which has been published in the state press. Mir Landers said the men were given the main features of the proposi- t1on for which the strike was declared That proposition never demanded, or even asked that the proposal be signed by any manufacturer. All that was re- quested of him was to grant what it asked, and, if he did not, or could not do that, to grant all that was feasible.
 The main features of the situation were nine hour day without a reduc- ton of pay; time and half for extra work and a ratio of one apprentice to every nve Journeymen and one for the factory. At first these seemed radical requests, so much so that large num- Der of employees were amazed and saw, no way by which they could be grant ed They had been so accustomed to the old style that to grant the one Dro- posed threatened them with financial loss, they thought. But, after inu11iry into the matter and studying the re suit or their investigation, they found tnat after all the matter was not so difhcult of solution and the strike was speedily ended.
 In MT Landers' view the main diff culty in settling the strike is situated in me Naugatuck valley, where not single concern where the men quit work has accepted the new conditions or things. He saw no reason why tbis should be so, unless it was a spirit of antagonism to the association. or trades unions in general. for the situation that enVeloped one enveloped all. excent perhaps, in minor details. Mr LandeI,s remarks gave the men great encoura ga ment and at the close be was heartily cheered.
 senator Kennedy told of the dificul- " any labor bill framed for the bene- Ut or the working man, has in trying 10 pass the general assembly. He cit ca the Employers Liability bill as m instance This has been before the Ieg- ,lsiature for number of years because It was blocked at every corner where if tried to go through the bouse Al tba legislature just adjourned. however. if managed to creep in a little and. . foTe portions Of 1t were found to be accent aole 10 legislators. But they are of so miner importance that the bill is orac- ticaliy futile in its provisions for the protection of workers employed by a corporation. As for the remainder of me plH. the part that failed to pass he supposed that would remain beggino outside the doers of the assembly, as many more years as it has been irvine, to get in. oless all signs fail the strike of the iocai tooimakers and machinists is ike to continue for some time. for ,so | Tar as can be learned, neither side an. pears to be manifesting the sliob+ss+ | signs or yielding, though. it would seeno from the talk that is ,sofn,, on. ir, se.-.u s-.a ', - lne snops' that the strikers are be- Es .o grow weary waiting for the | thlng to be adjusted and that nonv oe enen are anxious to return to work mn. cond1tlonally. No doubt this is dns to Iaise stories circulated by parties who are opposed to the nine hour dav and | "ho think they are making fbenSolr-a, sond with the bosses by telling fbar tnat the men are weakening and yvi1I soon want to go back whether tba union Is satisfied or not. There ;s nc ruth In this and the only burmese it can serve is to continue the strike ins nehnitely- As a matter of fact +ba men are as firm to-day as rney were . month ago and are determined to stand out Tor the nine hour day po matter now long 1t takes to bring it about. The Dest proof that could be advanced in support of this statement is that so Tar there has been practically no break m their ranks and the organfzatjon does not anticipate that there will he
 It Is true that a large number of the strikers have seeured positions in other parts of the state and in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts and if they continue leaving town for another week or two at the rate they have been going the past nine or ten days. few of the men who went ont