Norwich bulletin., 1915-07-20


bring about an amicable settlement of
the difficulties between the machinists
or Bridgeport and the Remington
Arms and Ammunition Company, en-
gagged on gigantic scale in the man
ufacture of war munitions for the al
lied armies, have failed. Labor lead
ers announced tonight that the first
OF the machinists would throw down
their tools and walk out at noon to-
morrow, "a hours from the original
time set for the beginning of the
| strike. They added that within a
week all work in the Remington shops
OF sub-contractors would be at
standstill. Just how far the strike
might spread in other manufacturing
communities of New England, the
labor leaders were unable to estimate
Maehinists Hold Lengthy Meeting.
The announcement was made by J.
]. keppler, international vice presi-
| dent of the machinists union, and
John A Johnston. vice president Of
the structural iron workers, following
a lengthy meeting in the machinists
hall which was attended by members
of the machinists union and by more
than a dozen heads of international
labor organizations. Mr.. Keppler and
MIR. Johnston were the committee ap-
pointed Friday by the machinists TO
present their demands to Major W. A
Penf1eld, works manager Of the Rem
ington Company. Mr.. Johnston, sur
rounded by half dozen labor leaders.
including Mr.. Keppler. made the an
nouncement. He said:
Strike Announcement.
"At 4 o'clock this afternoon, the last
moment Of the time we agreed to al
low the man conferred with in New
York in which to arrange a settle
ment, IL he possibly could. / was call
on the telephone. The man said this
to me: Il cannot do anything. have
tried my best You can suit yourself
as to any action you win take"
Il cannot tell you the name OF the
man Had he brought about a peace
full settlement I was prepared to give
him the credit But as he has failed
IL is best that his name remain un-
known. He has interests here and to
dfvulge his name might do him some
harm in business way in the future.
VIII Start at Noon Today.
THE strike will start at noon to-
morrow. We first will pull all the
men out Of the new Remington plant
That includes all machinists, die
sinkers. die makers, drop forgers and
| tool makers"
1t was said that IT was planned to
have in the neighborhood Of 500 men
walk out at first Then, according to
the plans made by the labor leaders
tonight, one after another of the vari-
Gus shops would be emptied of ma
chinIyts. The hod carriers work on
the new buildings being erected by the
Stewart Construction Company for
the Remington Company have already
taken a strike vote to follow the ma
chinists out There are 900 men in
the new plant of the Remington Com
pany went on strike. He said he did
not care to give the names In order.
ITO do that would be to show our
hand to the manufacturers and that
IS just what we do not want to do"
said he. 'T might add that in this
difficulty we have played the manu-
facturers as cleverly as they think
they have played US You may de-
pend upon ii, however, that we viii
get out everything in town once we
start. We will be forced to call out
machinists even in the plants not en-
gagged in b-contracting for the Rem
ington people. It would not be right
to have some of our men out on strike
for eight hours and the others work.
ing in other shops for ten hours a
day. Within a week we will have all
the manufactures in the city tied up"
Manufacturers Back Remington.
The Bridgeport Manufacturers As
sociation at a meeting today, accord
ing to a statement given out by the
secretary afterwards, determined TO
ton company in its decision to main
tain an open shop. In regard to this
statement Mr.. Keppler said:
That just bec1ouds the issue That
IS the old stock cry that Is always
raised by the manufacturers in order
to gain the sympathy OF the public
and Of the non-union men It was
first raised in Chicago fifteen years
ago. There was no mention OF closed
or open shops in Bridgeport until the
manufactures association made that
statement today. AS matter Of fact
It was the Remington Company or the
Stewart Company, or both that started
closed shop methods. They told the
millwrights that they would have to
Join the carpenters union or urit That
was what started an this trouble"
In the carpenters union they would
received 1915 per diem. In the ma
chinists union, where they belong
they would receive IS. Il should think
that Kould be sufficient answer TO the
charges that German influences were
behind that movement" added Mr..
Keppler. I'VE did not start the hod
carriers employed at the plant.
Men Demanded Strike Order
TN addition there is one sub-con-
tracing shop which the leaders de-
clined to name. where the nnachinfsts
will walk out tomorrow. In this shop
they said. one or two men had been
discharged and the rest of the workers
were dissatisfied. The leaders said
the men demanded a strike order and
that they had received IT. This plant,
the leaders asserted. Is running now
ito capacity, sixty percent. OF its OUT
put being destinedefor The Use OF the