Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-03-28
Mill Agents Frankly Explain Up.
ward Trend Of Cotton and
Wooden Goods.
LAWRENCE STRIKE THE CAUSE
New England Textile Workers TO
Number Of 275,000 Divide
Over $10,000;000 More
This Year.

Boston, March N-The great Lawrence
strike which brought IN its train In
creased wages for $4,000 textile workers in
New England was officially declared of
ar all the mills in Lawrence to-day. ina,
the strike had achieved its purpose and
more Is acknowledged by several labor
leaders not affiliated with the Industrial
Workers Of tho World which directed the
Lawrence labor war. James Whitehead
secretary OF the weavers' associauon ~
FNll River. declared to-day that the In
crease in wages which are going into the
pockets Of New England textile workers
are the direct result Of the two months
contest
In this connection 1t !s generally be-
lived also. that advances IN wages or
reduction IN hours OF labor to paper mill
employees. hagging and burlap workers
machnists in shops manufacturing MILL
machinery and operatives in other indus
tries all are traceable, directly or Incl
Yoctiy to the movement which had It's ori-
gin IN Lawrence. The total number OF
persons thus TO benefit Is considerably up
ward Of 3OO,0OO
Advances In the price OF wooden and
cotton goods which have been made or
which are IN prospect. VIII probably
place upon the ultimate consumer much
of tho burden of the additional wage
cost to the textile manufacturer. This
will aggregate between soop.00O and
BIZ COO coo during the next year. Mill
agents, IN announcing advances In the
prices OF certain grades Of cotton and
wooden gocds within a few days, have
frankly said that the upward trend Is
the result Of wage advances in New
England mills and. to some extent, to
those in New York state textile plants.
NEW BEDFORD STORM CENTER.
renee as the center of interest in the
textile situation. II the mill owners of
that city decide to give the 10 per cent.
increase demanded, 1t will carry add
tionai thousands of dollars to the opera
tives, not only of New Bedford. but of
other cotton centers which are awaiting
tho action OF the New Bedford manu-
facturers.
The probability OF a strike OF from
$4,000 to 10000 operatives in New
Bedford and several thousand at
least, in other places is believed to de-
pend upon the action of the New Bed
ford mill owners. The only textile
strikes of any consequence in New
England at the present time are in
cotton mills in Clinton and West War
ron over demands of the operatives foi
81 increase of 10 per cent. instead OF
the five per cent. offered
some of the union officials said to-
Gay that while the New Bedford oper-
atiVcs are firm in their demands for
q hi =,
would agree to accept an immediate
increase of Z u per cent. with a prom
Use of an additional two and one-half
per cent in the future. This may be
the basis Of compromise.
Woonsocket, Il. J., March 24.-An
increase in wages Of five per cent
will go into effect at every wooden
worsted. yarn and cloth weaving mill
in WoOnsocket tomorrow, announce
ments to this effect having been made
by the manufacturers to-day. Upwards
Of five thousand operatives are af-
fected.
New Bedford Mass, March oi-Follow-
ing the lead Of the cloth mills. the New
England Cotton Yarn company to-day
posted notices in its nine mills announc-
ing a five per cent advance in wages to &c
into effect tomorrow.
WILL TIE-UP SHOE FACTORIES.
Lynn. Mass, March 2i.--In q Lynn shoe
factories. Mckay stitchers will strike to-
morrow morning because of the refusal
or the manufacturers to grant the union s
demand for an advance in the piece work
schedule. Although the stitchers on
strike will number less than 10 probably
union leaders say that the effect will be 10
te-up the factories concerned. as the
strike has the endorsement of the United
shoe Workers of America.