New Britain herald., 1915-07-19
GOhPERS At WORK
TO SETTLE STRIKE
chinists that they too probably would
join.
Condition at Plant Normal.
CONTINUED from First Page.


Major w. A. Penfield, works super
tendent of the yR emington Arms and
Ammunition company, said over the
telephone today from his Office that he
I had heard Of no negotiations and that
he did not know the identity of the
man John A Hanston, Vice President
of the Structural Iron workers con
ferred on Saturday. He said conditions
at the plant were normal It was at
that conference that Mr. Johnston
agreed to postpone the calling of the
strike for at least "a hours, so that
persons interested In the prosperity
of Bridgeport have an opportunity to
make an effort to have the difficulty
between the unions and the Reming-
ton company settled amicably.
Millwrights to Organize.
The n1illwrights today met in the
hall occupied by the machinists for
the purpose Of forming union The
n1iliwrights in this city have never
been organized before. 1t was dis
pute over whose jurisdiction they
were under that precipitated the pres
ent strike. Mr.. Johnston said he had
been Informed that because the
structural iron workers on the new
buildings being constructed for the
Remington company were out on
strike the bricklayers soon would be
forced to quit. He said the brick
layers had worked up to the point
where the structural iron workers
quit and that he believed they would
be unable to do more work after to-
morrow.
Representatives of the Machinists
union went to the plant this forenoon
to make sure that none of the men
Went out on strike at the noon hour,
the time previously set for the walk
out. They thought it probable that
some of the machinists might have
not heard of the change in the gem
eral plans. Both Mr.. Keppler and Mr..
Johnston agreed today that unless a
favorable message was received from
the persons trying to arrange for a
settlement, the men would be called
out tomorrow.
No Word from New York.
Labor leaders in charge of the strike
situation in Bridgeport announced this
afternoon that they had failed to hear
from the New Yorker who on Satur-
day requested the postponement of the
calling out of the maclinists mployed
by the Remington Arms and Ammu-
milton company
sIf we do not hear from this man
I.v 4fosclock,,' the report said, y. j.
Kepler, International vice president Of
the Machinists' union. we will have 70
Relieve that the negotiations have
failed. In that event the men will
probably be called out tomorrow,
twenty -four hours after the time orig
.nally set for the beginning of the
strike. -
Uphold Open shop.
simultaneous with the announce
mert came another OF equal import 4
ance from the secretary of the Bridge
port Manufacturers association to the
effect that at a meeting today of the
manufacturers had determined to
stand by the Remington and Arms and
ammunition company in it's decision
ITO run an open shop. The action was
taken after the manufacturers had
|heen addressed by David Davenport,
krnce affiliated with the counsel for the
National Association of Manufacturers
and now counsel for the American /
Anti Boycott association.
Davenport Denies Report.
Mr.. Davenport himself denied that
he had addressed the manufacturers.
He said that he had merely conferred
with some Of them on q legal Dues
khon.
John G. Johnston, vice presto ent of
1.-The Structural Iron Workers, Mr.. KEEP
SIer and twenty other labor leaders
Matted until we'll in the afternoon for
Il telephone call expected from the.
mar, Mr.. Johnston saw in New York
: saturday While they were waiting
They discussed the matters to be
talked of should a conference be ar
ranged with Major W. A. PenfieId,
workers manager of the Remington
company or with some other official of
he company. The telephone call was
expected about noon.
When nearly two hours later the
man in New York had failed to call
the labor leaders started to call a.
meeting for tonight
Comp1icates Situation.
When advised of the announcement
made by the manufacturers associa-
ttcn Mr.. Keppler said that so far
tie establishment of q closed shop
at the plant of the Remington Arms
and Ammunition company had not
been demanded he added, however,
that the action Of the manufacturers
association, s.complicates the situa
lion still further"
The name of the man Mr.. Johnston
conferred with in New York still
remained a mystery this afternoon.
Mr.. Johnston said that unless he heard
from him by o'clock he would tell
The complete story Of the conference
including the name of the man. Ru-
nor had 1t that the man was in some
way connected with the United States
| government. Among additional la
Dor men to arrive here today was
Thos =. Savage of Washington p.
c.. member or the general executive