United labor bulletin., 1913-05-29
(From the Literary Digest)

The strike in the Paterson silk mills
Is war, says William D. Haywood, "a
bitter war-it's worse than any other
war" That, suggests a writer in New
York paper, may be because he has to
reckon with a foe more formidable
than the employers, the mayor, the
chief of police-more powerful even
than the imported private detectives
the American Federation Of Labor" So
this strike takes on the form Of rivalry
between two labor organizations, be-
tween two labor ideals. The difference
Of point Of view, as generally under
stood, is that the American Federation
Of Labor fights only when necessary, to
gain certain advantages, and that 1t Is
willing to compromise and make agree
ments with employers, while the Indus
trial Workers of the World aim at
union which, "by sheer strength, num-
bers and determination, can force what
ever demands or concessions 1t
chooses" Or, to put in the blunt Hay
wood phraseaology. I'VE are making an
effort to develop class consciousness.
The /. w. w. wants to wipe out the
power OF Sam Gompers, John Mitchell,
Jim Lynch and John Golden, who ban
quet with the capitalistic class at night
and talk to workingmen in the day
time"
Haywood himself has drawn from a
reluctant press many admissions OF his
ability as strike leader. The strike ne
has been managing in Paterson for the
past ten weeks, says the Springfield Re
publican, seems to be as notable In Its
way as the strike he managed at Law
renee a year ago." His leadership. notes
the Republican, and the same observa-
tion is made by a number of papers In
New York and New Jersey, was
strengthened by his apparently ground
less arrest on March 30 and subsequent
release. With four Of his associates,
Haywood is now on trial under fndict-
ments for melting to riot. and unlawful
assemblage The issues Of the contest,
which those outside of the silk industry
find 1t rather difficult ito consider with
clear understanding" are thus stated In
the Republicans editorial:
Some $1,000 silk mill operatives have
now been idle nine weeks. and the loss
| in wages alone has been at least $4,000.
900. So much dyeing Of fabrics is done
| in Paterson for silk mills located else
where that the strike is believed to
have affected $4,000 workers in the silk
industry at large. There were some
grievances originally of the broad silk
weavers, who weave the cheap grades
OF goods, on account of the introduction
principal seat of the cheap silk manu-
facture hitherto has been in Pennsylva'
mia, while the Paterson mills have wov-
en- the finer fabrics. Only the large
mills can introduce the multiple looms
and they have sought to extend their
business in the cheap grades of silk,
which are highly profitable.
"The Patterson weavers contend that
the new system will lower wages and
result in the displacement of men by
the low-priced labor of women and girls.
They struck against the multiple-loom
system and for a minimum wage of S12
week. The ribbon weayers and the
dye-house workers struck out of sym
pathy. The dye-house men. who work
in two shifts OF twelve hours a day,
demanded shifts of eight hours and a
minimum wage of si2. inasmuch as
their work is carried on under un-
healthy conditions. All the strikers, be