New Britain herald., 1915-07-14
WEIGHTS JOIN
BRIDGEPORT STRIKE
100 at Remington Arms Plant
Quit Their Jobs

n
Bird geport, July 1.-THE strike OF
one hundred of the force of nill-
wrights employed on buildings at the
plant of the Remington Arms COM
pany, and of Twenty-Five structural
Lon workers, and conferences between
officials of the company and among
the various International labor lead
ers now in the city were today's de-
velopments in the Industrial troubles
al. the arms company's plant. which,
lois feared, may bring on city-wide
strike Of metal workers and tie UP
Shipments abroad of war munitions.
50 far as could be learned there were
~ conferences between the union
leaders and the company.
MThe trouble began in a dispute be-
tWeen the carpenters and structural
iron workers unions because a large
part Of the millwrights employed by
the construction companies on new
4 Buildings fer the arms company Joined
S the carpenters union, but it was
thought today that the disaffection#
& was spreading.
Arouse Considerable Feeling.
Statements attributed to Major Wal
army officer, now head of the plant,
to the effect that Germans or German
sympathizers had caused the trouble
is said to have aroused considerable
feeling among the union men, who
deny it and inquiry brought out fur
ther statement from Major Penfield
that if the labor leaders would tell
Nm why they had called strike he.
would be willing to believe that no
German influences were at work.
1.-THE bone Of contention, the labor
men say, is the matter of the affilia-
ton Of the millwrights employed by
the Stewart Construction company.
which is working on new buildings
for the arms company, both the car
renters and the metal working trades
Claiming them. The dispute is said
- be, in one form or another q
trouble Of long standing, which has
come to a head at the present time,
and the labor leaders declare It is
purely a matter between the unions
and not due to outside influence.
German Influences at Work.
Major Walter w. Penfield, U. s. a.,
retired, head of the arms company
expresses the belief that the difficult
ties are due to the work of German
sympathizers who wish to hinder the
shipment of war munitions. There
iss not the shadow Of doubt lie
said. That this whole thing is the
work of Germans or German sympa-
Athizers. I am not speaking from hear
shy or suspicion I have good rea-
sons to know just what am talking
81.
Statement by Company.
Major Penfield was in conference
today with F. J. Prior and other Of
fciais of the arms company from New
4 York, and it was said that state-s4l
kn1ent would be issued by the COM
any later in the day
IA conference was also held by the
national labor leaders now in the
city but nothing was given out con-
corning it.
Twenty five more metal workers |
Joined the ranks Of the strikers today
making the number now out more
than 800.
100 Mi1lwrigl1ts Strike.
lone hundred of the milIwrights en-
YpIcyed on work at the plant, struck
early this afternoon. A large part Of
them had joined the carpenters union.
while the reason for their action in
auitting work is not definitely stated,
1T is understood that when they
learned that as carpenters they would
3Eet $3.50 a day, while had they joined
ne machinists' organization they
would have received Ave dollars a day
kthey asked the company employing
them to make UP the difference. This
yitgis understood, the company refused
! to do and the strike followed
THE interview credited to Major
Penfield. in which he declared his be-
lief that German influences were at
Yerk to create trouble at the plant, is
said to have aroused considerable adj
verse comment among the union men,
and when he was asked today for a
definite statement as to. alleged Ger
viewer:
Refers to stewart Company.
@"If you will have the international
men (the heads of the various labor
okkanizations) here now, tell me why
they have called strike on us when
the Stewart company which is strictly
closed shop, has paid full union
wages. and granted union time. then
will be willing to believe German
Influences are not at work. =
Statement of Company.
The following statement was is
sued by the company today:
The statement appearing in the
newspapers yesterday and today COW
ering the labor troubles at the plant
Of the Remington Arms and Ammuni-
ton corn pany take a much more seri-
Gus view of the situation than is war