The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-08-27
STRIKE Af"thUAtNS,
THlRTY-sEvEN wEAvERs QUIT
THEIR WORK.
Presence of Blacks I'm Mcnial Po-
sitions Causes Dissatisfaction and
Results In waikout.

IL women and 23 men-one or two Of
whom have returned to work. Tl.e
strikers were paid off by the mill ami
In the meantime efforts To fill the
places vacated are being made by the
management.
According to a statement made by
representatives OF the party that quit
their jobs, the walk-out was the direct
result OF the dismissal OF two men
who refused to work in the mill with
the negro help employed. Objection
was raised To the negro help in the
weave room only, the negroes being
employed to clean of the looms and
lay up hlling for the use Of the white
weavers, This work the weayers con-
sidered a white persons job and COM
planned To the management OF the
existing conditions. but no relief was
given. so they claim. In all. about 20
negroes have been in the employ of
the mill. in different capacities, as
scrubbers. loom cleaners, swcepers
water carriers. picker room laborers.
seavenger drivers boiler hremen etc.
Most of the negro help occupied the
eompany's cottages.
Following the alleged use of some
offensive langIsaResr .by one. of the
negro h*lpers several days ago, the
general manager and the superintend.
ent wers called upon by a committee
of operatives and asked To remove the
negroes Hbecause they were creating
trouble 10 white help. This was re-
fused. according to the operatives ver-
sion.
The negroes, however, were apprised
OF the atuation and gradually all of
them qpit. A meeting of all the op-
erativestwa called by General Man.
ager We, $. Montgomery. who asked
them ifNthey would assist him in re-
irstatine and protecting the negro
help. Practically all present objected.
80 IL Is GAINED. A second attempt was
made aud likewise 1t failed.
Meantime the negroes remained out
or off their work on the outside. The
issue c9ne to climax when the
management summoned two men to
the Office suspected OF leading in the
trouble end dismissed them. These
two men worked in the weave room,
where tie negroes were employed as
above described. The two men In
question: denied any connection with
the alleged intimidation OF the ne
gro helB AS soon as the action of
the Management was learned the 81
operatiyxs In one OF the weave rooms
walked ut.
Conce ming the dissatisfaction that
arose o r the employment of certain
negro n p In the mill and the conse-
quent W lk-out ON the part Of the
weavers the mill management has,
stated at the company. finding II
difficult o secure the best results in
the emf pyment OF white men to 10
certain enial labor. such as sweep
ing. scr bbing and cleaning off the
looms. though they had held these
jobs Cpd at all times to white men
who weH willing to give satisfactory
work. The plan of putting negro aolp
on these particular jobs was adopted
several months ago. and for some
time there has been an effort on the
part OF certain operatives TO run tho
negroes on. a few days ago the sit
uat!On became more pronounced.
when anonymous letters and personal
threats were directed to the negroes
Within day or 80 every negro had
given ua his, ,j0b and left.
Mr. MSn,somery thereupon called "a
meeting and explained that he had
no desire to force negro help on
them and that he was ready to en-
ploy whne men then and there for
the several positions. He made plain
his proposition, stating that If any
whites desired rhe places To apply and
ne would employ them. He further
asked all who thought ne was making
a fair and reasonablc offer and u sat
isfactory plan for the solution Of the
matter To indicate the same by hold
Ing up their hands. Quite "a number
raised their hands. and when the re-
verse proposition was made. where
upon none voted. This was regarded
as hnil adjustment Two days later
n" white help Offering for the vacated
places. q negro was again placed on
the work lie did not remain long. be-
ing givea to understand that his pres
ence wIf not desired by the opera
uNes' Then followed the dismissal of
two men SUSPECTED IA leaders in To-
menting the trouble.
After the walk-out Mr.. Montgom-
cry made another talk to the remain
ing operatives In these special dcport-