The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1912-05-31
VISITED BY
PRES. BROWN
WEAVERS UNION
ENJOYS A VISIT FROM
THEIR INTERNATIONAL
D-REVIEWS THREE
YEARS STRUGGLE ON
GRAYS HARBOR BETWEEN
WEAVERS AND MIL L
OWNERS.

An extra large gathering of single
weavers listened to an address in the
Temple, Tuesday evening, from their
international President, J. G. Brown.
This is the first time since his Undue
ton into office, last February, that
Brother Brown has had an opportunity
to visit the local union. The strenuous
fights in which the weavers have been
engaged on Grays Harbor and in
Bellingham, have taken up his time al
most exclusively and the brief respite
given him through this visit was most
welcome. He was accorded a hearty
reception by the Everett boys, and his
address listened to with the closest in
terest
Brother Brown sketched the fight on
Grays Harbor. This struggle for union
conditions has gone on continuously for
nearly three years. Owing to the com
paratively small number of men in
volved, it has drawn but little attention
from the labor movement at large. Yet
for intensity and solidarity of action, it
ranks second to no strike of recent
years in any part of the country. Every
known method of coercion has been re
sorted to by the mill owners in an
teffort to break the fighting spirit of
the weavers. The splendid fighting
qualities of the Hoquiam weavers may
be summed up in this one sentence:
In a three years fight only four or five
men have deserted out of $50 involved.
Brother Brown stated that things
looked more favorable toward an hon
orable settlement than at any time in
the past Barring unforeseen circuul
stances it is believed that the beginning
of the end is in sight
Despite poor market conditions in the
past two years and several bitter strug-
gales there are signs of renewed life in
the ranks of the wcavers. Two locals
that had lapsed have been resuScitated
and Brother Brown expects to Sc sew
eral more on their feet again, Partly
through onslaughts of employers and
partly through following after strange
Gods" the weavers have suffered seri-
Gus reverses. That the weavers will
come out of it all with ranks more firm
ly closed than before, was the firm be
lief of the speaker,
A tribute was paid to the union coal
miners of this state as big hearted
aggressive body of men, who, despite
their own problems, had time and the
inclination to help their fellow workers.
The weavers have been assured of their
hearty support. On a recent swing
through the mining belt Brother Brown
received assurance of sympathy for the
boys on strike couched in a language
that rings true-hard earned dollars.
The system of trade agreements used
by the coal miners and their methods OF
piling up reserve funds for possible
trouble was touched upon at some
length by Brother Brown and warmly
commended. He stated that tho
best insurance against attack was a
well filled treasury. That the only
thing on earth that some employers re
spected was the jingle of money. II,
urged that the time for building M
strong reserve funds was when ther,
was peace.
President Brown was in a happy
vein throughout his addres and shove,
no visible effect of the greulling eonfhe