Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-02-12

OF Inc CITY cOHeCjlOnS were taken, To-
day, toward n fund with which te
care for needy strikers and other per-
| sons which will be administered by
| the st. Vincent De Paul Society. At
| the Central Labor Union headquarters.
it was stated that the days contribu-
TONS toward the A. L. OF H. strike
| amounted to about $500. including
contributions of $l55 from the Salem
| Central Labor Union 500 from the
Bar Tenders Union Of Manchester, \.
H., and 800 from the Lawrence Car
mems Union
The mill workers strike was just
month old today. and it is estimated
that the financial loss to date closely
approaches the $lo0oo0 mark. if it is
not actually beyond il, and the end is
not yet IN sight. The major portion
of this great loss has fallen upon the
strikers themselves. Their month OF
Inactivity represents a loss Of $700,0o0
in wages, figuring on basis OF an
leverage weekly wage of $50 for -
| 900 operatives. on the other hand,
the cost 10 the mill owners is believed
to be comparatively small. Most Of
the mills have protected themselves
against
their contracts for manufacture over
to mills in other places, and still bene-
Int either through having the work
performed at mills owned by the same
companies or on a sub-eontraet by
which they receive share of The
Iprofits
| Next to the loss Of wages by the
strikers. the expenses incident to the
81, I'D
guard of 15n0 militiamen. with a num-
Der of high salaried officers, is the
lgreatest in connection with the strike.
military expenditures aggregate nearly
100000 to date--or about $4,000 day
at the present time and Adjutant Gen
eral Gardner W. Pearson has been
forced TO petition the state Legislature
for an additional appropriation to Gov
err the extraordinary expenditures of
his department. While the state of
Massachusetts will shoulder most of
this burden, the city Of Lawrence
which for some time has been in finan-
cial difficulties. will be forced TO pay
share The city also bears in full the
expense of additional policemen num-
herring several hundred who were
summoned from other cities and from
the Metropolitan Park Commission.
Still another item of expense is that
covering a portion of the damages to
mill and other property, including
street cars. which has occurred during
the riots which occasionally have
marked the progress of the strike.
An estimate in figures of the extent
to which business has suffered be-
cause of the strike is impossible. Prac-
tically all lines of trade in the city
have experienced adverse effects of the
strike and trade in several lines is
paralyzed. The small butchers and
bakers in the tenement house districts
ere practically without customers,
many of the strikers being forced by
lack of money TO go to soup kitchens
and eemmissaries.
Department stores are almost de-
serted except for their clerks, and
many of the clerks have been dispensed
with
In the midst of all this business de-
preston, however, the moving picture
shows thrive.
Most of the strikers, although not hav-
ing worked for a month received back
pay during the first two weeks of the
strike, but many families are now barely
removed from starvation and eviction
from their homes for non-payment of
rent. Only the assistance being given
through the rival labor organization
keeps them provided with food and shell
Ter. The rival labor organizations, the
Industrial Workers of the World and the
Central Labor Union of the y. +. of l..
are vieing with each other in furnishing
assistance to the strikers. 1t is estimat
ed that the total number of persons on
strike is 22,0o0 and that less than 5000
are at work This estimate as to the
number of persons at work while below
that of the mill owners. who claim that
10000 employees are in the mills. is above
that generally given by military and
other observers at the mill gates. sew
eral of these observers report that roo or
500 would be generous figures for the
number of operatives going to work
mornings in mills which under normal
operations employ 5000 and 5000.
The strike leaders declare that today
marking a months duration Of the oper-
atives' hold Quit is but stage in the
workers fight for their demands THE
strike cannot be settled while our leader
| (Ettor) is in jail +" is the slogan from
now on, they say. following action at
meeting of strikers, yesterday. when a
suggestion to this effect from William
y Haywood, the Western leader, was
adopted in the form of a resolution.
Meanwhile, the eity's population is being
depleted day by day by an exodus OF
foreign operatives that now amounts TO
nearly 5000 persons.
While the cause of the strikers in the
fight for an increase in wages finds ready
support in this city, the revelations of
the past week as to the ultimate aim of
the Industrial Workers of the World the
body which has controlled the direction
of the strike almost since its inception,
has alienated considerable sympathy.
Letters read at tie hearing, Friday. in
the Ettor case, which included instruc-
tions to him and other local leaders as
10 the manner and aim in conducting the
strike, stated that the local strike, If
successful, win be used as the beginning
vi Widespread movement towards So
eial revolution by the leaders of the III
dIfsfrial Workers Of the World