Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-03-26
Violence Feared as Big
Strike Menaces State
continued from First page.)

head at any time. l hope there will p'
no violence. The authorities are go
ing to use all precautions possible L
maintain ride and to protect tht
rights of employers and employees
alike"
He was asked: What steps have
been taken to prosecute the men WIT
are said to have assaulted those girls
and thrown them downstairs at the
Botany Mills?"
when the strikers make a COM
plant" he replied, 1--WE will do all
we can to give justice to both sides
Sergeant Matthew Kelly, who Is
practically in command of the police
force. and some of his men say that
some of the strikers in the Botany
Mills were detained there against their
will and that the others were afraid
to go out. :.
The company's officials say that all
the strikers who stayed behind were
afraid to go out.
The section comprising Passaic and
North Hudson county. it Is generally
agreed. is facing the worst labor wal
in its history.
Al& NAAO A1NNN
the walking out of its employees prob
ably means the paralyzing of the whole
industry in Northern New Jersey. The
striking of the weavers is regarded on
all sides as a signal not only to the
remaining employees in the plant, but
to the 10000 employed in the textile
industry in thai section.
In spite of the warnings n exhor-
tations by Boris Reinstein. the l. w.
W. organizer, n other leaders, the
walking out this morning was not ac-
complished as peacefully as hoped. One
woman is said to nave been beaten by
one or two foremen of the plant. Sew
eral arrests were made to prevent what
threatened to become a riot.
That this was feared by the mill own
ers and the police was evidenced yes
terday when SIX uniformed policemen,
in charge of Police Sergeant Matthew
Kelly, and several plainclothesmen and
Pinkerton detectives patrolled the
boundaries of the Botany mills.
Business and professional men in
Passaic and vicinity are expressing the
gravest fears for the peace of the city
and rioting is expected. A general
strike in the textile industry will affect
more or less directly, 125. 900 persons,
who are dependent on the 10000
workers.
The mill-owners are pessimistic as to
the outlook. They say that they will
not recognize any organization. The
attitude of all of them was expressed
in the word of George C. Rohlig: 1--WE
will never deal with any union or other
labor organization. We will close our
plant first and let it rot"
This threat was already carried by
the Forstmann & Huffman plant.
which posted a notice on the gates
that the plant will be closed until April
2. One of the owners of this plant is
alleged to have said to a strike leader
that this was lone in order to give
the operators a chance to "cool off"
That this will happen in the Botany
plant is expected. Mr.. Rohlig is not
very hopeful as to the outlook. He said
they had been expecting a strike every
day for more than a week. He knew
that the situation was approaching a
crisis, Drt~could do nothing to concili-
ate the employees He maintained that
they had always treated the men and
women fairly, and hat the employees
had no cause for complaint, the trouble
being all caused by LABOR agitators
breeding discomfort.
Says Condition Makes Slaves.
Boris Reinstein, who is in charge
of the strike, said it was the very
bonuses given in the Botany plant that
enslaved the employees. He said:
1.-THE men and women get at chat plant
from IS to 800 a year as a bonus. ac-
cording to the length of service, the
latter sum being given to a person who
has worked in the plant for twenty
years or more. This very condition
makes slaves of the people,"
Mr.. Rohlig said hat the women in
his plant earned a minimum wage of
"a. 50, the men $3.50, and The weavers
between s14 and SIS a week. At the
meeting of the weavers, held last night,
plans for the strike were being
laid, these figures by Mr.. Rohlig were
announced from the platform and re-
with shouts of derision.
A look of fixed seriousness and de-
termination was apparent among the
and women who attended the meet
ing. do they look as If they earned
between s14 and SIG a week." asked
one Of the leaders as he pointed to
the mass of people in the hail. OF the
Homen not one wore a hat. the nearest
approach to 1t being a knitted cap or a
Tam o. Shanter.
Mr.. Reinstein outlined the situation.
The strikers were certain to win. Sew
eral of the other leaders stood by ready
TO support his statement with figures.
Whole District Affected.
The whole district is affected. The
trouble embraces Passaic, Paterson,
Carlstadt, Garfield, Clifton, West Hobo
ken and other West Hudson towns.