Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-08-12
DON'T LIKE DOWNS
Buffers and Polishers Refuse to
 Work With Him
RESULT IS ANOTHER STRIKE

RESULT IS ANOTHER STRIKE
 Forty-six Men, Among the Number
 President of the Central Labor Union
 John T. Daley, Threw Down Their
 Tools Officials of the Factory or
 Spokesman for the Strikers Refuse to
 Say Much.
 Waterbury people who were throw
 ing their hats in the air and shaking
 hands with their neighbors over the
 settlement of the trolley strike and
 the adjustment of the difference in the
 polishing department at Benedict &
 BIrnhams and hoping that peace had
 at last spread its mantle over the city
 were treated to T rude shock last night when they learned that shortly
 before 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon
 forty-six men quit work in the buffing department at the Waterbury Clock Co.'s plant on North Elm street,
 among them the foreman, John n.
 Daly, president of the Polishers' and
 Buffers association. and chairman of the Central Labor union So far ag the public knew things were running very smoothly in that factory and on this account the strike created. co1- siderable surprise. It was the first shop in Waterbury to give the hands a nine-hOur day without any reduction in wages and vr's.,,- made this look
 2 he better " rat the short day unsolicited fnr a time was 1. K of the town. This was about [ ago and to nrove that the nine day was no detrimeIrt to con- ce'li it was inaugurated in the com pany's other factory on Mill street few weeks since. K But you never can te'' what is going on between capital and labor and consequently when things look bright for an era of peace probably that is just the time a rlIp- ture is likely to take place.
 A Democrat reporter asked Presi- dent Wade of the company today if there was anything to give out on the matter He said he had nothing to ! say on the matter except that the men were out. This was practically all the reporter was able to learn from President Daly of the PoIishers and Buffers union so that the news gath erers. were thrown entirely on their own resources and managed to get line on it as best they could. If such information as they have succeeded in picking up happens to be somewhat wide of the mark nobody should blame them, for it was sought from both sides to the dispute and Sinasmuch as neither carea to- make n statement nothing very tangible could be got hold Of
 But no matter how securely such things are guarded. straws can be seen whirling about which point the WAY. and in following up some of these tell tales it was learned that the strike was not the result of bad treatment either in the matter of wages or any thing else. but a question as to wleth- < CT or not Joseph Downs. who was hired and put to work in the polishing department should or should not re- main there. It appears that 1t got down to point where Downs had 10 get through or the forty-six union mell would refuse to work. and after an exchange of opinion on the matter be- tween representative of the company and the men the chasm could not be bridged. and the next move was voluntary march out of the men. For some reason or other MT Downs is very ohiectionHble to the union men, and it is said that none of them cares to work beside him. not because h6 does not belong to the association, but for other reasons probably known only to MT Downs and organized lar bor. It Is claimed that he has been brought in there to act as Speeder for others. and by giving good work and keeping him on one job Ill the time to show what he can do md then make this the pace for the whole raom, It is said that this is unfair to all. It puts men who have to stand around ai iour or SO waiting for work at |, tlisad- vantage and is also unfair to men 10 lave to take hold of everything that comes along. Tn support of the statement that the men did not go out because NIT Downs does not belong to he union it is said that another non mion man was brought in at the same ime, but no objection was made to Jim and the men had no intention of making any kick about them. It is tlso alleged that the company and tho lElOIl nave UG6H pldyIlS dIouuu lilt .dges for some time past and that ,reach was expected to occur any day nd that nothing but q disinclination n the part of the men prevented lash several months ago. They seem c have what they call a weeding and perates in such q way that where here was union man to-day you annot find him there the next day and vhen you inquire what became of him Il the information obtainable is that e was given his time and somebody lse was put on his job. It goes withS ut saying that the new man does not elong to any labor organization.
 There is lots of work in the shop nd the men who quit are competent nd willing to do it at the price the pays for it, so that in one ense it is the most peculiar strike in -.H TIA. Il. s~.s