New-York tribune., 1912-03-02
STRIKE CHIEFS STUBBORN
Leaders of Lawrence Workers
Oppose Concessions.
ALL BUT TWO MILLS YIELD
Industrial Workers Say Original
Demands Must Be Met and
Ettor Released.

! Lawrence. Mass March f--Although all
the textile mills toth woolen and cotton.
with two exceptions. offered their striking
employees an advance ~ pay to-day. or
stated their intention to do so. the strike
committee Of the Industrial Workers Of the
World voted to recommend that the str.k-
crs refuse the concessions. The concerns
that made no offer ot a wage increase are
the Everett Mills whore 4 lockout has
been in effect since the strike started, and
the Kunhardt Mills. the agent Of which
stated that an increase at this time could
not be considered.
| In most cases the mills have announced
that the scale will te raised al least per
cent I'm all departments TO take effect
Monday morning The original demand OF
| the strikers was FOR Is per cent.
In the case Of the American Wooilen
| Company the offer made to-day means an
| average increase OF per cent, according TO
the statement of an Official Of that company
tonight. The ) per cent, it is explained
| is the minimum. and i'm some cases nearly
u per cent viii be added to the pay of the
/ operatives.
Soon after tho concessions were posted
| the strike committee Of the Industrial
Workers OF the World met and voted 10 re-
| fuse the offer About twelve thousand ~
| the eighteen thousand still on strike are
affiliated with this organization. Tonight
] the Central Labor Union. which represents
many OF the skilled craftsmen. met. bit
gave out no statement Of its attitude
The committee of the Industrial Workers
voted to insist upon their original demands.
namely. a wage increase OF 10 per cent,
| double pay for overtime work the aboli-
| ton Of tie premium system and no d!s-
| elimination against strikers. The com
mittee voted further to insist that Joseph
| ]. Ettor and Arturo Giovannitti. the strike
leaders nof H. Jail awaiting grand jury
action on charges Of being accessories to
! murder, he released from jail ncfore the
| strikers return TO work
Mass meetings probably will ne held to
consider the offers OF the manufacturers.
The plants which offer TO grant conces-
sions are the Arlington Mills. employing
| five thousand hands; the Cnsco Mills. cf
the United States Worsted Company. en-
ploying five hundred hands; the American
Woolen Company. employing seventeen
thousand here and thirteen thousand IN
New York and Connecticut. and the
I Pacific Mills. with elghty-nve hundred here
and in New Hampshire. An advance In
wages In the woolen mills in Haverhlll,
Mass. North Andover and Franklin. y II.
owned by the VI. 7 Stevens & Sons Com
pany. manufacturers OF woollens, and en-
ploylng two thousand operatives. was also
announced to-day
To appear before the Congressional Com
mittee on Rules IN Washington tomorrow
a party OF strikers. including children. left
here this morning aud tonight city Mar
shal John J. Sullivan. Police Commission
or G. r. Lynch. City Solicitor Daniel ].
Murphy. Postmaster /. {. Cox and the
Rev. Clark Carter. city Missionary. start
cd also for the national capital.
There was slight Increase in the num-
be- OF operatives returning TO work to-day.
Washington. March Fifteen children
Of strikers a. Lawrence. Mass. arrived
here tonight. and were met by Victor
Berger. OF Wisconsin. the Socialist Repre-
sentative. They VIII testify before the
Rules Committee OF the House. which IL
considering resolutions calling for federal
investigation Of strike conditions AT Law
renee.