Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-15
A CONFERENCE
On Fall River Strike Booked
for This Morning.
Operatives Think Mill Owners at Last
Minute Will Yield.
Declare They Will Accept Nothing but
10 per cent. Advance.

Fall River. Mass, March 14.-Repre-
sentatives of the business men of this
city. this afternoon. called upon the
labor secretaries at their headquarters
and asked if they were willing to meet
the manufacturers at a conference to
be held. tomorrow morning. After a
short consultation between themselves,
the secretaries stated that they had no
objections and they will therefore
meet the manufacturers at $50 A. NJ.
The representatives of the business
men dealt separately with the Textile
Council and the secretary of the Weav-
ers Association, the latter not being
affiliated with the Textile Council
Nothing was said as to the object of
the conference, but it was common
knowledge that the business men are
anxious to have matters settled with
out a strike. Their business has al
ready been greatly injured and they
have protested strongly against the
city being plunged into a great labor
trouble.
The secretaries of the various unions,
tonight, admitted that they had been
approached by representatives Of the
business men and asked to meet the
manufacturers in conference. They
said they were given no details and
claimed to know nothing more about
the object of the conference than in
dividual operatives.
The secretaries refused to make any
statement of opinion, but supposed that
the meeting was called to avert a
strike. They, look for grant by the
manufacturers of the 10 per cent. asked
for, although it may not be done until
the last moment.
They were asked if there was as yet
any sentiment among operatives that
the strike would not take place, and
stated that none had been shown as
far as they knew.
They stated emphatically that on no
other basis than a 10 per cent. advance
would the strike be declared off. They
were pleased with the fact that a con-
ference was agreeable to both sides,
and believed the manufacturers had
strong reluctance to allow of any ac-
ton which would render void the many
contracts which the mills have running
in the middle and latter part of the
summer.
The manufacturers have shown no
signs of weakening and one OF the
leaders said, this afternoon, that if he
had his way he would fight the strike
to a finish. He said that in the first
place the mills should not have offered
any advance in wages. Last year and
the greater part of the year before not
more than two print cloth mills made
any money. Others paid dividends,
but hired the money to do so. This
manufacturer is known to have OPP
posed any advance in wages and has
been conspicuous at all times in OPP
posing such action.
Nothing has been done as yet by the
manufacturers on the much talked of
matter of granting a per cent ad-
vance, March II, instead of April Z.
The talk of such compromise being
possible is growing stronger, but in the
event of it's being offered, the Textile
Council has no power to accept it.
The council is under the supervision
of the unions and acts as they dictate.
They have been ordered to declare a
strike for 10 per cent. advance and can
accept no other terms. The present at
titude of the unions is that 6 per cent.
would not be accepted, and a report
has come from one labor leader that a
. per cent. increase would not be ac-
cepted. In spite of this opinion, there
is strong desire among the operatives
to accept some now and try again later,
rather than come out of the mills now
and lose more in two weeks than they
could make up in the whole year work.
ing at the advance asked for.
The mills that have not signed the
wage agreement are disposed to grant
6 per cent. next Monday. The Seacon-
net and Conanicut mills have already
done so. Other mills are considering
this proposition and they may act be-
fore Monday. provided the conference
has no tangible results.