Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-15
President Turmenne's Address.

| llicDIle WAS dS icitpNs-
'gfo the delegates of the Maine Tex
tile Workers. in convention assembled;
| 1.-THE year which this 9Th Convention
| closes has been one during which many
things have happened which promise
success TO our cause.
| First. we nave seen the enforce
ment of the weekly payment law, ana
as far as / can judge, it has been sat
| isfaetory; second, the great labor cele-
| bration in Lewiston. last September,
has done considerable in that vicinity
!, to awaken the people, and particular
/ ly the textile workers, to the strength
and power of united, organized move
! ment of the condition of the working
people in the State.
i 1.-The reduction of the hours of la
4 Dor in the state of Massachusetts.
i (which went into effect, Jan 1, was fol-
,lslowed by one of the most bloody strikes
dthat can ne found in the annals of the
struggle of the textile workers. wheth-
er organized or unorganized. In fact.
i the city of Lawrence was practically
under martial law. enforced by the
militia of the state.
sThe effect of that strike, in the
| incumbent upon me to relate some
thing of it in a few words. The So
Ihour bill was passed by The Massachu-
sets Legislature under the pressure
and agitation advocated by the Mas
sachusetts state Branch and the Unit
ed Textile Workers of America. The
stirginess of the mill owners made
them deduct these two hours from the
wages of the mill operatives, which
Immediately caused general dissatis-
4 faction.
The Unitde Textile Workers who
were the cause of the passing of the
Z k4-hour bill, were in duty bound to
see that the mill owners did not abuse
their power and reduce still further the
scanty wages paid TO the operatives.
The United Textile Workers were pre-
pairing to make a formal demand upon
tine manufacturers to restore the for
-oer Vares and 10 grant an increase
/, in the early spring. when the Indus
4 trial Workers of4the World forced the
issue by their revolutionary and war
] like methods. driving the operatives
from the mills
After four weeks of strife. fighting
4 and demonstrations, during which the
4 mill property was guarded by militia,
4 the l. W. w. had not attained any
4 Roadway toward an agreement with
the companies, except to keep the op-
eratives out of the mills by intimida-
ton Then the American Federation of
Labor, through tie Central Labor I'm
ion and the United Textile Workers
undertook to help the starving opera
manufacturers. They We're successful.
This was attained after five or six
weeks and the advance in wages was
and % per cent, the textile workers
of Iaine receiving Il general advance
of per cent. Another general strike in
Lowell was also the cause of another
5 per cent. increase in the mill of
Matte, making total increase, this
spring, of 10 per cent.
THE State of Maine has been the
4 scene of several walk-outs Of weav-
ers, notably i'm Lisbon, on account of
the discharge of one of their number.
This strike lasted about week. be-
ginning about the 18th of February.
I'm Brunswick. through the Intervention
of General President Golden, general
strike was avoided and a satisfactory
agreement was reached between the
Meavers and the company. Later,
| about April Is, a strike of jacquard
weavers in Lisbon took place, the
weayers refusing to accept a reduction
of 80 cents a cut and also refusing OF
run two and four looms extra to make
up the difference. The strike is still on.
I'VE should feel proud of the pro-
| gress made by our unions in the in
crease of membership, notably in
! Brunswick and Lisbon, where practi-
| cally all the weavers are members of
| their locals. Two weeks ago / or
| ganized the loom fixers' of Waterville
and had them affiliated with the State
/ Council and one of their members del
/ egated here.
AS to the future, would Aadvise this
convention to take uo the two most
important bills which were laid aside
by the last Legislature and to push
| them with all the vigor and strength
that is possible. l refer to the 54-hour
bill for women and minors and the
weavers' bill, tending TO the abolish
menI of the fining system I'm order
that these two bills may receive fair
consideration it would be advisable for
az textile unions in our State to af-
fliate with the Maine State Branch
| of the American Federation of Labor
and send their delegates to the conven-
tion which is to be held in Lewiston
| in June.
On the first resolution of last year
| pertaining to a State organizer / have
! communicated with our general presi-
dent, John Golden. and received some