Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-11-27
More Than $4,000 Voluntarily
Idle Following the Walkout
at Schenectady.
CITY QUIETLY FACES CRISIS
Plant Provides Principal Source
Of Income for Thousands
with Weekly Pay Roll
Exceeding S250,00G.

Schenectady, n. Y, Nov. 25.--With NOR,
than l40On employees of the General Elec
trio company voluntarily idle, this cit,
to- nigtt faces an Industrial crisis. Blu
St faces 1t quietly. Aside from humorous
meetings OF worllmen and orderly crowd
3n the streets and about the hulletii
boards in front OF the various labo
union meeting halls, there was no excite
ment resulting from to-iays walkout q
nearly all the force of the largest manu-
Featuring plant Of It's kind in the word.
Throughout tine city there was an at
mosphere OF preparation. in a dozen OF
more labor headquarters meetings Ver,
held and preparation begun FOR wha'
many fear will he a lengthy struggle. 1r
central hall heads Of the various ioca
unions met ana discussed was ARD
means OF carrying on a strike should one
lie called. Meanwhile the leaders wer,
emphatic in their statements that there
Is no STRIKE az yet They explained to-
DAVIS walkout as demonstration OF
strength to show that the General Flee
trio company cannot crush unionism."
The union workmen are not looking fo1
shorter hours or more pay, they point ont,
hut to correct what they claim to be an
unjust discrimination against two of
their companions, Frank l.. Dujay and
Miss Mabel Leslie, both Of whom have
been active In union circles The two
were laid off recently, the company
claiming their removal was a part of Il
policy Of retrenchment. The union work
ers, however, assert the laying off of the
TWO was due to past activities In labor
union circles They also claim that the
receipts for the current month exceed by
more than 100000 the receipts for Mo-
vember, 1872,
DENIES ANY DETERMINATIONS.
George F. Emmons, general manager
of all the company plants, in a formal
statement to-day denied that any dis
elimination was intended. Ihis was the
only statement that emanated from the
company's offices. However those close
10 the officials said preparations We're be-
ing made to cope with any emergency
that might arise In this connection they
stated that the company had counter
manded all large incoming orders.
The presence in town to-day of W G.
Fish, general manager of the company
plant at Lynn. Mass. caused consider
able comment among the employees. They
say he was antagonistic to union labor n
Lynn and that he had come here to as
sst in the crushing out of unionism il
Schenectady. Officials of the company
explained his l-'cscncc by stating he was
here merely in his official capacity To
attend a meeting of the companyS manU-
featuring committee
Among the citizens of Schenectady the
lay-off and the prospect of possible
lengthy strike Is not welcome, as VIII
its weekly pay roll of more than $-JO,oJI
the plant provides the principal source OF
income for the city. There is. however,
q strong undcrcurrent of belief that the
company will not reinatate Duiay and
Miss Leslie and that ar long as the en-
ployes have taken matters mo their own
hands the officials will sit back quietly
and awaits overturnes from the worhmen.
MEN AFTER OUTSIDE FUNDS.
1t was learned tonight that 10 of the
local union men had left the city TO solicit
funds. The reason for this. Il wa point
ID out was for the mora! effect for If
the men realized outside money Was COM
:ng in they would be less willing 70 re-
turn 20 work. The preparations for a
struggle were temporarily haltcd tonight
By the central committee on receipt OF
n telegram from Indianapol Although
the union leaders declined to make its
contents public it was currently reported
that 1t was from a high official 0. the
American Federation of Labor and tina.
II was not favorable for :he calling OF
a strike.
Impeiuous friends of the employees are
urging George Il. Lunn, the socialist
mayor OF the roty. to appoint rumocr
OF special deputies from the RANKS Of the
workers and remunera:e Lheu, from the
city treasury The mayor has not init
mated he viii follow such n cuIrse iie
eaid tonight he had not been asked 10
counsel have been freely sought by the
employees, however. Earlier in the day
he snd that not a single person of
whom I have knowledge shall suffer for
lack q: food or clothing while ] am
mhyor," Ills term xpires December 81.
Union leaders tonight perfected plans
for picketing the works.. not 80 much
they sait. because they feared the in.
trod lctlnn of strikebreakors, as to see
that none who walked out to-day return
sd 10 work.
WITH the exception Of a few bremen,
toremon and watohmeu. the plant IL un.
occupied tonight The majority OF the
employees walked out quietly this morn
.ng, without any demonstration. Most OF
the others with the exception Of the office
stsr followed during the day