The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-07-15
TROUBLE IN GREENv|LLE.
L. w. w. ANARCHISTS APPEAR IN
MILLS.
Branch OF LaWlcSs Labor ORGANIZATION
Obtains FOOthold i'm Piedmont Mill
District.

'iSiiiey anu one nOtcu Tor It's welfare
department, closed down yesterday as
result Of a conflict in the rules Of
the Parker Cotton Mills company and
Of the Industrial Workers of the
World, which recently gained a foot
hold here.
This morning parade Of about 100
persons gave Greenville it's first sight
Of an organized body of the /. w. W.
The body Of mill workers, some Of
whom were women, marched under
the United States flag and the red
flag Of the order. They proceeded to
their hall and held an orderly melting.
! The trouble arose over the refusal of
the weavers to make up time lost
, Wednesday afternoon during a thun-
derstorm, which necesstated the
shutting off of the power. The rules
Of the company are that time thus
lost shall be made up on ensuing days.
The rules Of the l. w. W., so state
some Of those affected, are that time
shall not be made up. There is no
question Of wages involved, as those
who protested againts the company's
rule are paid by the piece.
The operatives declined to make
up time that afternoon. Thursday
morning, Whom the operatives came to
the MILL the superintendent informed
them that they must abide by the
rules of the company and agree to
make up The lost time or remain out
of the building. They declined to
work undo" this condition, SO for two
days the mill has been closed.
1t is rumOred that four official or
ganizers from the North will be
brought here in case the operatives
can not win their point. There is now
, one official of the /. w. W. here.
| Thursday night meeting was held
and was addressed by Sheriff Rector
and others. The sheriff assured the
operatives his support in anything
they did. Those in close touch with
the situatio. say now that the trouble
is not expected to be Of great dura-
ton.
! The loom fiXerS, who are among
the protcstants, were granted upon
their petition several weeks ago, an
increase in pay.
II. Nj. Marchant, president of the
Monaghan mills. gave out the follow
Ing statement:
"On Wednesday morning, July s,
the mill started up at the usual time,
which is 6 Il. m. On account OF some
! trouble on the power lines of the
Southern Power company they closed
the mill ut G.1O a. m., starting up
again at 6.24, which caused the mill
to lose II minutes. In the same day
there was more power trouble on the
line of Southern Power company,
! which closed the mill ut 3.55 p. H.,
starting up at 4.J1, which caused the
mill to lose sc minutes, making a to-
tai loss for the mill Of 1 hour and
10 minutes.
"As it had been customary for all
the mills to make up lost time. our
superintendent decided to have 50
minutes Of the time made up the af-
tcrnoon of July s, the remaining 80
minutes t. be made up the next day
or throughout the week. A few min
utes before stopping; time on July 8.
the 'wCavcVs, with the exception Of Il
| few, decided that they would not
make up the lost time and walked out
of the mill. According to the records
in our power room these WcaverS ac-
stopping time.
"On Thursday morning. July .. some
little while before starting time. the
superintendent and ovcrseer informed
the wcavcrs. who were in front of the
mill door, that they would b" expect
cd TO abide 10y ulc rules Of the COM
pany and make up the lost time. The
Wcavcrs did not agree to our PROPOSE
tion 10 make up this time and the
weaving room has been closed since
the evening of July \, with the cNCrp-
tiun of few wcaVcrS VINO remained
lost.