The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-02-02
women ENJOINED
FROM TALKING To
STRIKE-B2EAKERS
Twenty-six Wives of Strikers Are
Arrested For Violating Injunc-
tion-They Must Not
Gather in Streets.
Workingmen Are Making Their Last
Stand Against United States
Steel Corporation
BY DOROTHY DALE.

last stand OF the once great Amalgam-
ated Association OF Iron. Steel q Tia
Workers against the United States
Steel corporation is developing hero
ines as we'll as heroes.
Here in New Castle $500 tin work
ers, almost all OF them sturdy Welsh
men, have been on strike since last
July At that time, with steel products
and the cost OF living both rising, the
trust cut down wages 8 per cent and
refused the customary recognition OF
the union. Ii was, of course. a cold,
deliberate plan to put the workers
organization out of business, and so
the men in every union tin mill owned
by the trust walked out.
But IL is with the home and the
women's side OF II that ! have to do.
When the story was telegraphed out
that &c OF the wives Of leading strikers
here at New Castle had been arrested
Tor violating an injunction against an
preaching or interfering with strike
breakers, | came 10 see what 1t all
meant.
The first evening OF my visit 80 OF
these strikers wives and daughters
met TO rehearse for church concert
They were clear-skinned, clear-eyed
women. with the rich, deep voices
and pure English speech that mark all
corners from the British west country.
Their simplicity and cordially OF
manner were beautiful. And how they
could sing
Can't Gather In Streets.
The solemn. compelling strains OF
"Jesus, Lover OF Ny Soul made the
small room ring cathedral-like. Then
without bit OF fussing young wo-
man with a wonderful appeal in her
contralto stood up and sang, unac-
companied, He Was Despised AMI
Rejected" The concert ended with a
light. lifting love screnade. and then
there was move TO go home.
But not in a body. They got up
two by two. And there was an in
terval between the goings of each
pair.
you know we women can't be seen
on the streets in numbers greater
than two" explained Mrs. Thos.
Thomas. who has 10 men relatives In
the strike. THE court has enJoined
u.s."
And that's the way il is. There
is no chatting on the mill side OF New
Castle city. You do not see three wo-
men stop anywhere TO talk about the
last bargain sale or even about the
prevalence OF the measles. They dare
not. The United States Steel corpora
ton has an injunction against them.
But the 26 who dared? Oh, they
laughed at the strikers, according TO
the warrants under which they were
arrested. Then it is solemnly sworn
and subscribed to that some OF the
women called "Scab" And one des-
rerate women Ia even charged with
loudly stating her opinion that GER
tain striker was a"Black Pot.
"AU of us women who we're arrested
are out on 5000 bail till our trial, said
Mrs. Thomas. "But we'll go To jail
II we have to, and be proud OF 1t for
such a cause"
In the homes at New Castle every
one seems CHEEKY. The sending In OF
relief by other unions has kept the pot
boiling, and wherever clothing or coal
has heeu needed that has been provid-
ed. too. The women peel their pota-
toes on Saturday night for the Sunday
meal. because after the strict Welsh
religious ideas no work is done on the
Sabbath day.
Not Drinking Men.
Over at the headquarters OF the tin
workers II was just the Same. There
was no disorder. Welshmen are not
drinking men.
John Rogers and f. T. Jones, two
members of the advisory board Of the
hot mill workers union. told what Is in
the report asked for by the national
It. nd lah mn
which explains Just why the $4,000
men OF the trust tin mills struck.
mo mill belonging TO the company
has been open for work longer than
eight months in a year" said Rogers.
"The Greer mill has been shut down
eight months. the Shenango every year
from four to six months, and at Ell.
wood Ind, the mills have only been
open 13 weeks in the last two years.
The company makes us take shut.
downs like that. and then wonders how
we can stand a strike Of seven
months"
When the mill is running full we
only work 81 days a month"; said
Jones That's as much as we can. be-
cause the work is a terrific strain.
and we can only keep at II from 10 TO
Is minutes at a stretch. The rollers.
the higfIst paid men. can make at
the highest IS day. This at 21 days
n month for from only four to six
months a year-over In Ellwood. Ind.
it's 13 weeks in two years-makes a
good steady clerking job look attrac-
tive in comparison.
The lowest workers in our part Of
the mills get about S2.25 a day. They
work for the same time that we do. p"
Judge w. r. Porter granted the I'm
junction to keep strikers from Interior
ing with strike breakers. There has
been no violence. so an injunction
against interference by word OF mouth
had 70 be issued.
In December % strikers were sent
20 Jail in contempt OF court for walk.
ing the streets near the mills. While
IN JAIL they appointed court of their
own. When any ono OF their number
committed any offense against the
rules of the fail, they tied him and
sentenced him 70 solitary confinement