Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-01-17
Eight Companies Of Militia on Guard-.State and
City Officials Urge and Work for Arbitration.
The $1,000 Striking Textile Employees Agree
To Conference, Today, with Operators.

| Lawrence, Mass. Jan. 16-With a
| return to peace and quiet in the mill
district Of this city through the pres
encc Of eight companies of state
| militia to-day. state and city officials
| busted themselves to bring about a
| settlement by arbitration of the diff
cuties existing between the $1,000
| striking textile workers and the mill
| owners. The strikers through their eX-
ecutive committee agreed late today
| to enter conference with the opera
tors in the presence of the state
| Board of Arbitration and Cancellation
to discuss the points at issue Presi-
dent William A Wood of the Ameri-
| can Wooden Co., which controls four
| Of the largest mills affected by the
| strike, and who is regarded fas the
spokesman for the mill interests, was
quoted by Mayer Michael A. Scanlon,
| today. as saying that he refused to
enter any conference. or send repre-.
sentatives declaring that there is no
| strike on, but q state of mob rule,
and that the company does not be-
| lieve itself responsible for the con-
| ditions.
Secretary Bernard $. Supple of the
| State Board of Arbitration. who
| brought about the consent of the
| strikers to discuss their grievance at
| a meeting of the strikers executive
| committee at City hall. late today,
| said. tonight. that he would bring
| every means in his power, tomorrow,
| to bear upon the mill owners to enter
the conference. The time and place OF
meeting will be set in the event of
| the mill owners consenting
| Only three mills, the Everett, Law
| renee, Duck and Pemberton, We're
| closed down entirely. today. An the
others opened their gates. this morn
| ing To a small number of operatives.
| about one-quarter of the regular
| working force.
II was stated that this number WAS
| increased during the noon hour, and
| that. tomorrow. more operatives who
| have remained away because OF fear
| of violence will report for duty
The mill district surrounded by a
| Gordon of citizen soldiery presented a
| greatly changed aspect, today, over
that of Yesterday The stormy scenes
| which were responsible for the calling
out of the state militia We're sue
| CeedeU DIV Il SNSlGlIi VI plNNi A'i'N'-'
martial law. The strikers and their
| sympathiZers We're plainly coWed eN
| the show of arms The bristling baNo-
nets which inflicted wounds upon hail
| a dozen of the strikers, yesterday
| particularly impressed them, ana
| numerous objections to the Tree use
of these weapons were heard among
them. The opinion was expressed oA
one mill agent. today, that the day
peace was but another hull before Il
| storm. similar to that OF SATURDAY
and sunday. which followed the RIOT
ing of Friday and preceded the as
| orders Of yesterday. 1t vas MS eA-
pressed opinion that the strikers
would become irritable under the ais
MAY of arms and break out af.tSsa
The efforts. today. to bring apeWi
Ian arbitration of the difficulties when
have heen responsible for the troubles
were several. Mayor Michael \
lSeanlon endeavored Intellectually to
brine the manufacturers into line 20
lagree to meet their striking opera
hives. Dudley NJ. Holman. secretary
f. Gov. Foss who had been sent by
the states chief executive to Law
renee last night, put in busy hlsht
land a buster forenoon, the best re-
lsults of which were the consent OF the
lstrikers to talk over their case WIN
lthe members of the State Arbitration
Board"
II was understood that this would
have to be done with the members OF
the state Board acting as individuals
lthA law recurring that both parties t.
the dispute must request the board %
Iadiudieate the differences before II
can sit officially
This concession which Secretary
Holman secured from the strikers leo
to the coming here, this afternoon, ol
Bernard S Supple, secretary of the
state Board After a conference witf
Sec. Holman and Mayor Scanlon to-
gether with other members of the city
government See Supple went to CITY
hall. where a mass meeting OF strlk'
ers was in progress. Later he enter
cd session of the executive commit
Zee of the strikers and there submitted
to them the proposition that the STATE
Board should act as mediators il The
dispute.
Joseph ]. Ettor of New York, the
directing head of the strike, in his
capacity of national organizer of TIT
Industrial Workers of the World
which body has taken over the hand
ling of the strike, declared his belle
that the strikers can gain nothing b!
arbitration. Other members of tn
committee were favorably disposed t
the proposition, and after short dis
cussion, the New York leader announc
ed himself as agreeable to having tn
) strikers represented at such a confer