The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-18
Big SILK STRIKE LAID
TO GRASPING POLICY
Ex-Mayor Of Paterson Blames
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Ma
tiOnwide Union.
CRIMES FINED ON /. W. w.
Prosecutor Dunn Tells Indus
trial Commission They In
cited All Violence.

p.rynsoN, y. J.. June 1'.--Fortner
Mayor Andrew r. Mcbride aud Prosecu-
tor Michael Dunn were the chief witnesses
to-day Mt tho hearing OF the feuera'
Commission on Industrial Relations Dr.
Mcbride tried 10 unalyze the fundamental
causes of the strike for the benefit OF the
commission. while the Prosecutor con-
tented himself with an outline OF inc
d.predatlous committed and "A condem-
nation Of the |. ". ". agltators.
The chief reason for the unrest among
tho silk workers OF Paterson, according
10 pr Mcbride. was that inc weaNeIs
we're overworked and underpald anu sun
ioctcd To- IN treatment. The attempted
intro,luc,iou Of the four loom system
aroused the workers to fear of losing their
Jobs A..
n, said he had tried to settle the
strike through the appointment OF heu-
trail committee Of citizens, but was un-
Ha,ccessful. lie said he believed that tnc
formation OF a nationwide union OF sim
workers that could control it's members
would bring about a mitigation OF the
Spirit of unrest and he advised the COM
mission TO make a thorough investigation
OF the amount OF wages paid ana the
conditions under which the men worked
Prosecutor Dunn said that during the
strike there were from forty TO nfty
cases of simple assault, twenty-elgnt
cases OF houses of workmen stoned 70
tntimidate strike breakers, nineteen bomb
explosions and three attempts to wreck
trains on the Erie Railroad. He sttrib-
uted these scts of violence to the agita-
tors Of the l. w. W.
ct must say" he said. that believe
Carlo Tresca, whom ! consider one of
the most dangerous men In the United
States was the instigator of many OF
these ncfarious forms of crime
He declared that the cases against Big
R,i Haywood, Tresca, Elizabeth Gurley
Flynn and other agitators would be prose-
outed.
James L. Matthews. editor OF the Pater-
son Press, in which editorials were printed
during the strike advocating the expulsion
or the / ". W. agitators said the strike
had cost the city tlS.0O0.0oO. the workers
having lost si.OO0.000. the manufacturers
about $4,000. OJ0 and the city Itself about
$4,000. 600 Industries were kept away
from the city. he said. and local SIN
manufacturers built branches In otnei
cities. where they were free from DIS
turbance.
Edward Dcrscher. secretary and treas
lrer of the local I. W. W. organization
said that for the last eleven years there
had been unrest among the workers be
cause OF their mistreatment by the manu-
recturcrs and by their foremeu. Amoni
the numerous instances OF unfair dealing
he said, was the manipulation of the ma
chnery in such n way that tho weave
getting paid for sixty yards OF SILK actu
ally made from one to three .'ards NOR
than that. Where there We're IA
workers. he said. the foremen handed gu
the hest materials and the best machine
20 n few men and made them pacemakers
forcing the other weavers to Keep u
with them.
Louis Magnet a silk ribbon weaver
said that competition among manutac
,urers led them to cheaper their produc
and to reduce wages. The grievanc
caused by this policy prepared the wa
for the I. W. W. leaders. They foun
fertile ground for their labors when the
came.
Cant. McBride % the police force sal
that 2,S3S arrests were made during III
strike and that much OF the violence wa
caused by the agitators. who used word
OF double meaning, so that 1t was har
10 make charges against them.