The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-10-14
Central Labor Union Names Committee to Inquire Into Reports of Discrimination Against Men Prominent in Union Activities.
Sinister Influences Reported to Be Exerted Among Ger tain Members of the Police DeNartment-Five Union Leaders Will Probe For Facts.

At meeting of the Central Labor lnion last night in Union headquar- ters. a committee of five was appoint ed to investigate the charges that manufacturers of Bridgeport are ac- lively using blacklist" and that po- hcemen in the eglpIoy of the people of Bridgeport are aiding them to en- force 1t.
 Several men appeared before the meeting last night and protested that they had gone on strike. and when they went to other factories. they de- clared Information was conveyed to their new employers so that they lost their Jobs-
 One man in particular charged that he had struck, and then went to the policeman came and pointed him out as a. striker. He was immediately discharged. he said.
 Henry CunIiffe of the Salts Textile Co, declared he had held one job about three minutes, after he went on strike at the Salts plant, and several others lasted almost as short a time. He didn't know who caused his dis charge but he declares he is certain there fs a 'sblacklist-''
 Testimony of those who complained of the ''blacklist'' was received for half an hour last night The asser- ton made a deep impression, and the members of the Central body, which represents thousands of workers here, were incensed when they learned that a po1iceman-eas aiding in t1escom-4 mission of a states prison offense.
 A committee was appointed imme- dtately for the purpose Of investigat- ing A program along the following >1 tines is available to the committee if he charges are founded on fact:
 Filing of charges against the
 policeman with the police com
 = En--- = an--.
 public servant Is committing g
 most reprehensfb1e act-depEfv-
 hood.
 "A general protest against the
 atfttnde of policemen in general
 toward strikers and union men
 Compaaint to the Department
 of Labor at Washington that a
 ''bAaclxIist'' is being enforced
 here
 The alleged enforcement of a ''bIackIist'' through certain channels of the police department Is assumed toAbe merely another of the tyTannica1 acts of the administration of Mayor Wilson againSN labor men.
 Perturbed, beeause not merely are men being depri ed of the right to free speech. but of the right sto live, according to the allegations a com nnittee will make a thorough investi- Y
 Facts easily may be procured. it is believed. The Central Labor union is composed of delegates who repre- sent thousands of workmen in every shop in the city. These workmen have now come to a realization of their power, 1t is declared, and will brook no infringement of their rights. They have been successful in bettering conditions of labor through concerted action on their part. And it is the inten- ton of members of organized labor to retain the good gained by them in the recent campaign.
 The labor men say they have fought a clean fight and been successful They now expect the manufacturers
 Five new locals were taken into the will mean about 4,000 new members for the Central Labor body. Mrs. Katherine Chase of the newly organ ized~ Corset Work ers' union, was elect ed treasurer last night
 Organizer Ornburn of the State Fed eratton of Labor. was a speaker at the . meeting last night. The state organ izer went over the ground that has been covered by him in the recent lo- cal shorter work-day campaign His resume of work accomplished by the State Federation was encouraging and showed that organized labor in tends to hold what benefits have been gained and go after more. MT. Orn- burn spoke about the Anti-Prohibition convention holding in New Haven next Sunday. as authorized by the Connec- ticut State Federation of Labor.