Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-11-19
#isesllaneuus Readins.
JUDSoN MILL TROUBLE
Member of the Labor Union Explains
Whole Situation.

Member Of the Labor Union Explain'
i Whole Situation.
Editor Yorkville Enquirer:
Please allow me space to set fortf
a brief review Of the trouble at Jud'
son cotton mill. Let me say in th'
beginning that, being myself con
nected with a labor union, my testi
mony may not be considered unbiased
but there are quite a number Of peo
pie in South Carolina who know m'
we'll enough to believe I would no
knowingly be guilty Of falsifying.
Since the striking operatives al
Judson have appealed to public senti'
ment, it is proper that the public
should know the facts upon which
they base their claim for support.
Sole Question Involved.
There is but one question involved
the right Of the operatives to af-
filiate with a labor union. Wages
hours Of labor or working conditions
have not entered into the controver-
, sy. 1t is freely admitted that such
conditions at Judson mill were better
than those in many other mills-that
wages were slightly higher and some
other conditions better. The reason
for this is not far to seek, and 1t was
not based upon paternalism, but upon
a cold-blooded business proposition
The exhibit of Judson mills at the
recent Textile Exposition in Green
| vile was truly a revelation as to the
character Of goods produced in that
establishment and was a splendid tri-
butte to the executive ability Of the
management and the efficiency Of the
workers. 1t was this efficiency which
commanded the higher wages.
Why then should everything have
not remained in peace and harmony
at Judson? Why the necessity for a
union? Increase mans efficiency
and his earning capacity and you will
find that his hopes and aspirations in
crease correspondingly. Perhaps It
was the desire for an outlet to the
hope of betterment Of their kind
that prompted the movement. But
whatever the cause of forming this
union, upon the fundamental prin-
ciple Of the right to organize there
can be no question, as this right is
recognized by every state in the Un-
ion and in our own state is protected
by the following statute. I quote
from section 486, code Of 1912:
Every person or corporation who
shall willfully impede or prevent the
commissioner Of agriculture, COM
| merce and industries, his agents or
inspectors, in the free and full per-
formance Of his duties, or who shall
discharge or discriminate in the pay
ment Of wages against any person
because Of his or her membership in
a labor organization shall be deem
ed guilty Of a misdemeanor."
Northern Agitators Not Responsible
Let it be understood that northern
labor agitators were not responsible
for this trouble. The union was a
voluntary association Of the employees
Of Judson mill. There happened to be
among the operatives some who had
worked under union conditions in
southern mills and having seen that
unionism was beneficial, they at
tempted to form union at Judson-
there was no attempt at coercion and
none were wanted who would not vol
unfairly enter.
Learning of this effort at organi-
zation, the president Of the mill called
his help together and endeavored to
persuade them that they were in er-
ror, laying great stress upon the fact
that they were associating them
selves with his enemies. the Textile
Workers Of the North, appealing
strongly to their sectional feeling.
Perhaps his influence deferred good
many from Joining the union, but II
failed to break up the union, so that
other measures had to be adopted.
In order to check the further spread
of the union 1t appears to have been
determined to summarily discharge
such as had connected themselves
with the organization, as will be seen
by the certificate published below.
When the union learned that this was
to be the case a committee was in
structed to wait upon the manage
ment and insist that unless those dis
charged were re-instated a strike Of all
the union people in the mill would be
declared. The president Of the mill
refused and the strike was called.
The certificate below establishes
the fact that at least some who were
discharged were told that no fault
could be found with their work, that
they were discharged solely because
they had joined a labor union. In all
fairness, what recourse other than a
strike was left to the operatives?
Aware Of the fact that discharge for
such a case would prevent employ
ment elsewhere in their chosen field,
what else could they do?
Efforts to Conciliate.
There has never been a time since
the beginning Of the strike that the
operatives were not willing to meet
the management more than half way
on a basis of conciliation.
On October 26th, the operatives
addressed the letter below to the
president of the mill, but II it has
borne any fruit none is apparent:
MIR. B. E. Greer, President,
"Judson Cotton Mill,
"Greenville, S. c.
Dear Sir:
1.-The undersigned have been ap-
pointed as a committee, duly author
lied to act, in behalf Of the workers
in your mill. We will be glad to meet
you at your convenience to discuss