The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-02
MILL PREPARES TO
 CLOSE DOORS Press Machinists On Strike and Company Will Not
 Yield MEN SATISFIED, SAYS SUPERINTENDENT More Men Join With Strik- CTS In Demand for Eight
 Hour Day

An addition of 22 more men to the ranks of the strikers, the announce ment that the mill will shut down to- night, and the establishment of a violence were -today's features of the Whftelock Printing Press Manufactur- ing company's labor troubles today. A. meeting will be held at Union Labor Hall, Elizabeth street, this af- ternoon, called by William Larkin, at which plans for the strike will be fully discussed.
 Practically every nachinist in the plant joined the ranks of the strikers this morning while it was said that none who went out yesterday return ed. William Houston, general man ager of the plant, stated that the mill would close down tonight for the an nua1 vacation period until Monday and that the men at present employed are doing nothing but clean and oil the machinery preparatory to keeping closed if a settlement is not made.
 It was also stated upon the part of the management that it was believed the men employed in the mill were satisfied with their wages and hours but that the call from the union for g. strike was obeyed. No steps towards arbitration will be taken until Julius Day, secretary and treasurer of the company who is in New York city and cannot be located today returns to Shelton.
 The strike called against the Whit lock Printing Press company is likely to be protracted one unless the off, ciahs of the -concern decide either to accede to the demands of the work CTS or place the matter in the hands Of an arbitration -cornpanS 4As in the case of the Coe-Stap1ey company of Bridgeport, where the picheting has continued in san orderly manner for months and the striking men have been paid a percentage of their reg ular salary from strike funds Of the American Federation Of Labor, with whom the machinists are affiliated, 1t is believed that, unless important guards are resorted to by the Whit lock officials to aid in bring in non- union strike breakers the affair will be a peaceable one
 Nevertheless fearing that trouble may result from the fact that almost all the Shelton shopkeepers have been union1zed since the BlumenthaI strike some monts ago, several new men have been added temporarily to the local police force. The reason a4s- signed yesterday for the increase was and the men would be used to quelI disturbances likely on that day.
 While only the machinists are out this morning, the company has been notified that until 2 o'clock today will be given for some decision as to set clement, or a general strike will be or dered. This, it is said by the labor men, will affect about S5 per cent. of those employed.
 The pickets today were orderly and i established in three shifts. They were not interfered with by the police. William LarHin, business manager Of the International Association of Machinists for Connecticut, said to- day: The demand of the men for an eight hour day is not unjust. It would merely put the Whit1ock company on a, footing equal with the other press manufacturers of the country, who have all given the men an eight hour working day. With the acceptance of an eight hour day, unfair competition will soon be done away with
 The Whitlock mem are working ten hours day. Under the eight hour day, the working week would be for ty-eight hours a week, with no reduc- tion in pay.
 We have eighty-f1ve per cent. of the skilled employees of the company with Fifty-f1ve quit work at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon, while 20 Joined us this morning. We expect, before the day is over, to have a mum Der of those still at work with us. There will be no violence. The best Of feeling exists between the company and men but we will not return until our demands are met.
 we do not demand an eight hour day immediately, but we do demand it eventually. As done in other places, the time could be reduced a few min utes, extending over a period of many months, but with the idea Of making the working day eventually eight hours. We are confident of winning the strike, and are willing to place the matter in the hands of arbitra- tors.
 Until our demands are acceded to, no union pressmen will be allowed to work on new Whit1ock presses. This will not affect shops that have the WhitIocl1s already installed