New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-03-25
STRIKE At LAWRENCE Z
OFFICIALLY ENDED
Result of Long Struggle Felt by
Textile Workers All Over
New England.
HIGHER PRICES PROBABLE
Ultimate Consumer Likely to
Bear Much of Burden for
$10,00O,000 Advance
in Wages.

Boston March 24--The great Lawrence
strike, which brought in its train In
creased wages for 275,000 textile workers
in New England. was officially declared or
at all the mills in Lawrence to-day hav-
ing accomplished it's purpose, in the opin-
ion Of the leaders. That the strike had
done this. and more. is acknowledged by
several labor leaders not affiliated with
the Industrial Workers of the World,
which directed the Lawrence labor war.
James Whitehead, secretary Of the Weav-
ers' Association of Fall River, declared
to-day that the increases in wages which
are going into the pockets OF New Eng
land textile workers are the direct result
Of that two months contest
Advances in the price of woollen and
cotton goods. which have been made or
which are in prospect, will probably place
on the ultimate consumer much Of the
burden of the additional wage cost TO the
| textile manufacturers. This will aggre-
gate between $4,000, 900 and Sl2,00o.0oo
| during the next year, II is estimated.
| Mill agents in announcing advances In the
| prices OF certain grades Of cotton ana
woollen goods 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 10 those in New
York State textile plants.
| Uncertainty exists only as TO the amount
! Of the advance I'm certain cotton mill CEN
tres. The employers OF nearly all the hun
| dred thousand woollen mill workers have
granted increases that are nearer 10 than
8 per cent. and their operatives. who or1si-
nally asked for 10 per cent increase are
generally satisfied. But this is not true Of
the cotton industry, which employs 1ISooo
hands in New England. The manufacture
ers of the coarser grades Of cotton goods.
as represented by those in Fall River, have
! advanced their original wage raise from
| to 10 per cent, while the finer goods manu-
facturers, with New Bedford as their CEN
tire, have refused up TO the present to ac-
cede to the demands of their employees for
an additional per cent
New Bedford Centre OF Interest.
New Bedford has now displaced Law
renee as the centre Of interest in the textile
situation. If the mill owners Of that city
decide to give the increase demanded with
in few days It will carry additional thou
sands of dollars to the operatives not only
of New Bedford but OF other cotton centres.
action Of the New Bedford manufacturers
to determine their attitude toward their
own workers. The probability OF a strike
of from 5000 TO 10000 operatives in New
Bedford. and several thousand at least. in
other places, is believed TO depend on the
action Of the New Bedford mill owners.
The only textile strikes OF any consequence
I'm New England al the present time are
n
rem over demands Of the operatives for an
increase Of 10 per cent instead OF the per
cent offered.
New Bedford operatives are insistent that
trey receive 10 per cent. and William o.
Devoll, secretary Of the manufacturers as
ISOLATION. has promised them that the mill
owners will decide the first Of the week
whether or not this will be granted. Some
Of the union officials said to-day that while
the operatives were firm in their demands
Of 10 per cent the unions probably would
agree TO accept an immediate increase OF
~ per cent with promise Of an additional
u, per cent on a given date in the future.
This may be the basis OF compromise.
SAYS increase Is Not Justified.
Otis II Pierce. president Of the New Bed
ford Cotton Manufacturers Association, ex-
nresses the opinion that the condition OF
the fine goods market does not warrant an
advance in wages at this time. and does
NOT consider that the New Bedford mill
owners are justified in giving an increase.
although his mills have fallen into line
with the others In New England which de-
lcided on a ) per cent advance. Mr.. Pierce
saws that coarse goods mills, such as those
in Fall River. are doing much better busi-
ness than for a long time. and are In
more advantageous position at present than
the fine goods establishments.
| Woonsocket R T., March 24.-An increase
in wages Of per cent will go into effect
q, every woollen. worsted. yarn and cloth
weaving mill in Woonsocket tomorrow
morning. announcements to this effect hsv-
ing been made by the manufacturers to-
day Inward Of 5000 operatives are af-
fected At the same time as many more
operatives in the cotton mills or the city
will receive a 10 per cent advance, In &C
cordance with notices posted few days
ago.
Lowell. Mass, March 24-Twenty thou
sand oneratives employed in the seven cot
ton mills in this city will enter on a new
scbaduIe Of wages tomorrow, when notices
will be posted Of an increase averaging
from to per cent, the minimum being
4 ner cent Under the new scale the wages
here will be practically the same as those
maid in the cotton mills at Lawrence.