Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-01-29
Sunday 10 Lawrence Is a
Day Of Quiet,
But Possible Trouble Is Look.
ed for, Monday Morning.
The Militia and Police Prepared.
Strikers Urged to Stand Firm.

Lawrence. Mass, Jan. 2S.-Labor
leaders in charge of the strike of
nearly 10000 operatives in the cotton
and wooden mills of this city We're ac-
tive, today, organizing their, follow
ers in the effort to keep them from
returning to work, tomorrow, which is
conceded by both sides to be the crit
leal day of the two-weeks strike. The
operatives are beginning to feel the
pinch of the severe cold which has
gripped the city almost every day
since the trouble began, and towards
the latter part of last week there were
assertions from the ranks of the
strikers. On Saturday. although a half
holiday in the mills, the assertions
became more numerous. At four mass
meetings, today, and at three more,
tonight, the strike leaders urged their
followers to remain firm.
In anticipation of possible trouble.
tomorrow morning, when the mill
gates open, the police and militia have
been ordered to report for duty at
) O'Clock. The strikers have planned
big demonstration and while the
leaders have eounselled against vio-
lence there Will be a large force of
police and militia on hand to prevent
clashes between the operatives going
to work and those remaining out. Tn
der the leadership of Joseph Ettor of
New York, organizer for the Indus
trial Workers of the World, which is
conducting the fight for increased
wages and better working conditions,
the strikers will assemble on Common
street and march through the city as
far as the Arlington mills, hoping in
this way to attract wouldbe workers
To their ranks.
Four new companies of militia. COM
prising the 81 battalion of the Sth Reg
iinent arrived here, today. and seven
companies which have been ON duty
here for about two weeks, were dis
missed. Three of these companies that
were allowed to go home belong in
Lawrence and are under instructions
to assemble at a moments notice.
should they be needed, so that Col. f.
Leroy Swe tser, commander of the
PROVISIONAL regiment here, says that
While there re now only nine compa
MES ON actin \ duty, instead of L as
before, his 81 'ength in an emergency
has not been Weakened.
The companies which arrived, to-
day, are \, Capt George T. Jones; C,
Capt Ralph NJ. Smith: f. Capt. Will
liam j. Green, all of Cambridge; and
d, Capt. George A. XVI of Everett.
They make up the first battalion of
the Sth Regiment, and are under
command of Maj. Charles T. Hilliker.
with Lieuts. III. ID. Campbell and f.
G. Bauer as his staff. Cos. F of the 9th
and l. of the Sth Regiment, and Bat
terry c of Lawrence, with Cos. c, G, X
of the 9Th Regiment, all of Lowell,
We're sent home, this afternoon. With
the exception of the first day of the
strike. when one company of militia
had to charge with fixed bayonets on
mob. there has been no disturbance
to amount to anything.
At the armory, church services were
held in the morning for both Catholic
and Protestant members of the MI
litia. A mass at s O'Clock was cele-
brated by Rev. Henry T. Regain OF
St. Lawrence's church, followed by a
Protestant service conducted by Rev.
Arthur W. Moulton. rector of the
Grace Episcopal church. At all the
churches in the city reference was
seled from all the pulpits.
The largest meeting of the strikers
was held. tonight. in City hall. 1t was
under the auspices of the local So
cialist Club and the principal speaker
was Organizer Ettor of the Industrial
Workers. He urged the strikers to re-
main firm. that the strike was almost
won and intimated that il the strikers
were forced to return TO work
through hunger, means would, be
found to cripple the mill machinery.
Mr. Ettor in his speech said:
THE other side is sending agents
and spies into the homes of the
strikers, telling them that the strike
is over. These agents say that Wood
(the president of the American WOOL
en- Coz soicitious for the welfare and
Interested in working man, has grant
ed the demands They are smooth
gentlemen. Take one of them and
throw him down stairs Since you
have quit being mules and the object
of the whip of the agents they nave
to make good by getting you to go
back to work. The strike is not set
tied. / am not giving away any plans,
but this town will not be very nap
py in two days from now. There VIII
be no dynamite used, but something
is going to happen. Nobody will get
killed. We are going into the fight,
tomorrow, firmer and more deter
mined than ever. We are receiving AID
from other cities, and if necessary
will go from town to town to beg
money to use SO that the children Will
be happy and fed
IF the mill men intend to use the
wolf of hunger as an argument, 1t
may break the limitations of men,
(Gontinued on Page Teno